When I first moved to Portland the downtown area was the most livable vibrant downtown area I had ever seen. Cafes and bars with people sitting outside talking and socializing was the norm. People walking around. Shopping. Art. Etc. it was often said the Portland was what NYC may have been say 70 or 80 years ago.
I drove through downtown for the first time in almost 7 months today. A full city block was fenced and turned into a tent city, apparently with approval of the city. My own office - a large financial services company - was fully boarded up and further protected with chain link fence against the boards. Several other buildings had the same treatment or merely had all their windows boarded up. Several buildings were trashed with non political - non Civil Rights graffiti. Companies I used to visit daily are now out of business. Once beautiful common areas are defaced and overrun by people living in tents. I can’t quite say it looked like a 3rd world country, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say it reminded me of pictures you’d see of say Detroit when it was down. It was depressing and maddening.
I drove through downtown for the first time in almost 7 months today. A full city block was fenced and turned into a tent city, apparently with approval of the city. My own office - a large financial services company - was fully boarded up and further protected with chain link fence against the boards. Several other buildings had the same treatment or merely had all their windows boarded up. Several buildings were trashed with non political - non Civil Rights graffiti. Companies I used to visit daily are now out of business. Once beautiful common areas are defaced and overrun by people living in tents. I can’t quite say it looked like a 3rd world country, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say it reminded me of pictures you’d see of say Detroit when it was down. It was depressing and maddening.
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