Portland Area Guide · No. 2
Community feel · Craftsman homes · Parks
North Portland is the city's most distinct small-town corner: the riverside village of St. Johns beneath its gothic green bridge, the historic commercial street of Kenton, and quiet residential neighborhoods of craftsman bungalows and tree-lined parks. It is a close-in, community-first part of the city with some of Portland's best park access and a housing stock that mixes classic homes with newer infill.
Portland · Multnomah County · Oregon
The St. Johns Bridge · North Portland
The latest verified news about the major employers and companies that anchor this area, with sources cited. Each item links to the reporting outlet that published it.
01
Daimler Truck North America ended Freightliner and Western Star truck production at its Swan Island plant on October 30, 2026, laying off about 375 workers.
Portland will remain DTNA's North American headquarters and a key engineering, innovation, and testing center, ending an 84-year run of building Freightliner trucks there. KPTV confirmed the final closure on October 30, 2026, the newest chapter for North Portland's largest industrial employer.
Source: KPTV, October 30, 2026
02
The Port of Portland is selling two adjacent unimproved Swan Island parcels for future industrial use.
The sale, reported by the Journal of Commerce, keeps the marine and industrial hub active after Daimler's production closure. Separately, the Swan Island Basin cleanup agreement brought 100% of the Portland Harbor Superfund site into active engineering design.
Source: Journal of Commerce / EPA, 2026
03
Amazon hit pause on its planned Prime Air drone-delivery hub at its North Portland warehouse this fall.
Portland Business Journal reported on October 13, 2026 that Amazon canceled its pre-application meeting with the city, and the Portland City Council voted toward a possible moratorium on drone-delivery facilities. The 1001 N. Schmeer Road warehouse anchors Amazon's north-side logistics operation.
Craftsman bungalows on a quiet North Portland street
01 · Area Highlights
North Portland sits on the peninsula between the Willamette River and the Columbia Slough, and it has always felt like its own town. St. Johns is the anchor, with a small-town main street on N Lombard, the 1931 St. Johns Bridge overhead, and Cathedral Park at the bridge's foot. Kenton grew around the old Swift & Company meatpacking plant and keeps a historic commercial district on N Denver Avenue.
Arbor Lodge and Overlook are the residential heart of North Portland: classic craftsman and foursquare homes on quiet streets, with parks like Peninsula Park and Overlook Park woven through. The MAX Yellow Line runs through the neighborhood, and Interstate Avenue connects straight into downtown. Housing here is more affordable than the close-in east side, and the community identity is strong.
01b · Navigable Map
Pan, zoom, and drag around this live map to get your bearings before you even call us: pin the St. Johns Bridge, Cathedral Park, the Kenton commercial district, the MAX Yellow Line, and the neighborhoods this guide covers.
North Portland · Multnomah County
02 · Community Detail
North Portland has the strongest neighborhood identity of any part of the city. St. Johns is the village center, Kenton is the historic commercial district, and Arbor Lodge and Overlook are the residential streets around them, all connected by parks, schools, and a fierce sense of community.
The housing stock is mostly early 20th-century craftsman, foursquare, and bungalow homes, with newer infill and apartments along the main corridors. Buyers come for the character, the parks, and prices that still undercut the close-in east side.
Distinctive small-town atmosphere, older homes, and the iconic St. Johns Bridge.
Historic commercial district, neighborhood restaurants, and varied housing.
Residential streets, parks, and a mix of classic and renovated homes.
Residential character, hillside views in parts, and access to MAX light
Kenton's historic commercial district
Swan Island anchors the district's industrial economy
03 · Major Employers
North Portland's economy is built on Swan Island and the Columbia corridor, with a strong layer of neighborhood businesses in between. Here are the anchors:
The global headquarters of Freightliner sits on Swan Island, with a $150 million HQ campus and a new engineering facility announced in 2024.
A 430-acre industrial park on the Willamette with distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing tenants including UPS and CEMEX, plus the historic Swan Island Shipyard.
A fulfillment center at 15000 N Columbia Blvd and a delivery station in the Arbor Lodge area anchor the neighborhood's logistics employment.
A major FedEx Freight and warehouse operation at 751 NE Columbia Blvd keeps freight moving through the north end.
McMenamins St. Johns Theater & Pub, StormBreaker Brewing, and the independent shops of N Lombard and N Denver employ hundreds across the district.
04 · Restaurant Guide
St. Johns and Kenton have built a genuinely local dining scene, from a theater pub in a 1920s movie house to breweries and food carts on the main street. Some of our favorites:
McMenamins St. Johns Theater & Pub
VisitA historic movie theater turned pub, with a full kitchen, local brews, and a screening room.
8203 N Ivanhoe St
StormBreaker Brewing St. Johns
VisitA neighborhood brewery and taproom with wood-fired pizza and a rotating lineup of craft beer.
8409 N Lombard St
LoveVerona Pizza & Pasta
VisitA family-run Italian spot on N Ivanhoe serving pizza, pasta, and classic Italian plates.
8436 N Ivanhoe St
St. Johns Beer Porch
VisitA food cart pod on N Lombard with a covered beer garden, one of the neighborhood's favorite gathering spots.
7316 N Lombard St
Worth the short drive: the food carts and restaurants of North Mississippi Avenue, just south of the district, are among the most celebrated in the city.
Neighborhood pubs and breweries line N Lombard
Cathedral Park, beneath the St. Johns Bridge
05 · Activities
North Portland has some of the best park access in the city, from the riverfront to the wetlands. Here is how locals spend their weekends:
A 22-acre Willamette riverfront park beneath the gothic arches of the St. Johns Bridge, on the site where Lewis and Clark camped in 1806.
A North Portland landmark with formal rose gardens, a community center, and one of the city's best-loved sunken gardens.
One of the largest urban wetlands in the United States, with a boardwalk trail and abundant bird life at the north end of the peninsula.
N Lombard Street is the neighborhood's living room: independent shops, cafes, breweries, and the Saturday farmers market.
Just south of the district, this bustling commercial strip is packed with restaurants, shops, and music venues.
From a St. Johns craftsman to a Kenton bungalow, we know this side of the river block by block. Tell us what you are looking for and we will show you the home that fits.
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