North Park Blocks

5 stars for the basketball courts! Haven’t hit all the PDX courts yet but this one is def my favorite so far! Love the vibe at The Blocks with people walking by, playing bocce, or spending time in the park adjacent to the courts. Seen some of the other reviews downgrading the park because of the «homeless» that hang around. I’ve had nothing but good experiences interacting with them in the park. Adds to the vibe of the park having different walks of life around.

The North Park Blocks are different then the South ones. They feel a bit rougher. There homeless feel more noticeable because there are fewer other people on the blocks closest to Burnside.
There is lots of good art pieces here and one hard to find one. At the North end of the North park blocks there is some really good sports stuff here. A basketball court and bocci ball field? in the middle there is a large playground.
It is a great area with lots of potential. It also has its problems (see Tamara C’s review she says it well).

So much scurrying everywhere. Meth heads and dealers are everywhere, scurrying around trying to set up their next fix. All kinds of drunks are staggering around all over the place or passed out on park benches or when it’s dry, just on the ground. Druggies of all varieties are passing the time here comparing and trading shit they have stolen from cars and stores. Homeless people pitching tents and pitching fits if you don’t give them money or cigarettes. They are brazen and thoughtless.
Old town/​Chinatown and its border to the Pearl District: No place else in Portland have I seen so much broken glass from car windows on the streets.
It’s just super what the City of Portland spent thousands of dollars for a public toilet here. Gee, thanks. I’d rather take my chances and risk a police citation by peeing in the bushes if I’m ever that desperate for bathroom facilities.
Meanwhile there is a gated playground not far where children are playing in the midst of off all this fucked up shadiness. There are some interesting sculptures in the park blocks too but if I were you, I would just scurry on past with haste and hope not to get accosted. Don’t even think about walking alone through here at night as you may get rolled, or worse.
This place is covered with rubbish; used needles, beer cans and bottles, human and animal waste. What a total waste of potentially lovely space.
I love Old Town/​Chinatown and the businesses that struggle to survive there despite no meaningful support from our city. My advice to you if you visit, keep your wits about you. Better yet, use Lyft, Über or Radio Cab for your own safety.
2015 — Review #81

Heroin needles on the ground? Check
Meth’d out aggressive panhandlers? Check
Used condoms everywhere? Check
Trash, sleeping bags, plastic bags, cig butts everywhere? Check
Any semblance of a an actual park? _​_​_​_​_​
Seriously though, SHAME on the city of Portland officials for letting this once beautiful place become like this. SHAME.
To the residents of the area who are dishing out thousands in rent and HOA fees, VOICE YOUR CONCERN. What’s the point of living in luxury apartments and high-​rises in the Pearl District when you can’t even walk the streets down below in peace or feeling embarrassed to show visiting friends/​relatives the city?
Businesses are being driven out because of our incompetent and inept city officeholders (See Glyph Café). I am as progressive and liberal as they come, but west Portland has become a joke with our do-​nothing politics. Turning a blind eye to our homeless problem has made this city worse and worse.

If you like to see drugged out bums fighting, sleeping and sometimes defecating in public (notwithstanding the very expensive enclosed outdoor toilets provided by the taxpayers of Portland) or get yelled at by crazies mouthing obscenities, this is the place for you.

The park blocks have become the DMZ of the West side of town. The area west of the park blocks is the beautiful Pearl District with its quaint boutiques, coffee shops, and eateries. East of the park blocks quickly descends into a twisting nightmare of mentally unstable vagrants, junkies, and general sketchy types that wander aimlessly around the bus station and Old Town/​China Town area. Stay west if the park blocks if you are north of Burnside.

I simply SOOOOO appreciate the clean public toilet located on the south end of NPB! Great and greatly appreciated.
Oh how I verily miss Fup, the Powell’s Technical cat whom I used to regularly see and pet.
Lotsa children all playing passionately on the play structure there the warm afternoon I walked through.
Park Kitchen still a respected landmark restaurant located there. I spied that PK Thai is gone:(
Lots of memories walking through—

I’m not sure what happened, but this was our first time visiting Portland, and we walked up to this park just to say to ourselves; «we need to get out of here as soon as possible.» There were TONS of homeless people laying and walking about. A man on a bicycle was even propositioning a homeless girl for oral sex. The next few blocks reeked of urine. Such a shame — the elephant statue would have been nice to see up close, but that wasn’t happening.

Cute little park to walk down.
Come here to people watch and walk your dog/​kids.
There are a decent amount of what seem like students all carrying textbooks and backpacks. Lots of business people taking their lunch breaks. Plenty of homeless folk. One area by some artistic porta potty in the middle of the blocks smelled like rotting seafood. My friends and I seemed to be the only ones bothered by it though, because a lot of people were just parked on the benches eating their lunch.

Shoot some hoops! Dodge dog poop! People watching! Children laughing! Elephant Statues! Other things!
Just a few of the amazing activities awaiting you at the magnificent dreamland that is… the North Park Blocks!
I love sitting in this park in summer, watching all the people, enjoying the sunlight through the trees. Bowery Bagels is close, so grab a coffee and a bagel and enjoy the park. Why not?

There’s always something happening at the North Park Blocks (International Beer Festival; Art Festival; Holiday Parade route, etc.).
It’s an oasis between downtown and the Pearl. The park is usually full of sounds and activities that bring a smile to your face. Little kids are playing in the playground, big kids are playing basketball on the courts, and others are just taking it all in.
The trees are changing colors right now, so get off the computer and treat yourself to a lovely fall foliage walk thru the North Park Blocks.
PS. In the summer months, you will see some homeless folks out and about.

Nice park a good amount of homeless. nice place to eat your lunch if your downtown

What a great park! I think one of the things that make it so special, are the trees… Oh, and that fact that it is beauty and peace in the middle of a busy city.

One of my favorite places to eat lunch downtown. The best are in the middle between Burnside and Glisan as they are quieter and have less people in them. They aren’t overflowing with dogs and people and the trees make the park enjoyable. Apparently these and the south park blocks were designed by same person who designed central park.

Perfect place to take my dog when I stayed in a downtown hotel. I was there later in the evening (~9pm) and felt safe, but there were some «interesting/​ecclectic» groups of people.
Overall a great place for the pups!
Looks like it would be a fun time for kids and a relaxing day along the benches as well.

Went to Portland for a weekend away with my 4-​year old and having this park near our Hotel in the Pearl district was great. We only got here once (damn you Pacific Northwest crappy spring), but it filled its purpose. Cute little playground, several blocks of open grass and a basketball court right in the middle of the city.
Nice work Portland

Everyday for a few days I passed this park. Everyday I stopped for a few minutes to stand, breathe in the crisp, moist air under the misty rain falling from the underside of the clouds and be still.
Alone I stand in the middle of the park with the beautiful smoky gray clouds energizing me.
I feel so alive. The park feels alive. I feel like I’m healthy, beautiful, and all will be alright.
I began to move along, knowing that I’d be happy to see it as I return to the hostel.
But when I passed the park on my way to the train station, I was sadden.
The park block is one of the little things that makes me to fall in love with Portland and its happy rainy clouds.
Gosh! How I miss Portland!

Old timers, junkies and downtown employees seem to like coming here to shoot hoops most days. There are two courts bookending the bocce ball courts on NW Glisan St.
Watch out for the bocce folks waiting for a table at Park Kitchen, they might have gray hair but they can be feisty.
Both the Nike resurfaced courts are spacious set ups for half court that make for decent 3-​on-​3 games. More often than not it’s just shooting around or a game of Crunch if guys are feeling competitive.
I mostly come down here if I want a competitive game before I’ve got my legs under me for full court action.

It was interesting to visit this park. We were searching for green grass for our dog. I found it interesting that these parks are separated by the streets that run through it. The statues were interesting to look at. A playground for the kids. It was a nice short walk around the blocks.
I did not get the chance to visit the other sister park. Maybe on the next trip to Portland…

The Pearl is a modern, industrial area, with a lot to offer. One of the sacrifices it makes is giving up a lot of the green space that Portland is so famous for. The North (and South) park blocks are a way to combat this.
This series of blocks (each 1 city block long and wide) run from Glissan Street (a well known street that cuts through several neighborhoods) to just over Burnside street, which separates the north and south side of town on both sides of the river.
Each block contains it”s own feature (s) in order to make being there more enjoyable. There are blocks with jungle gyms, brass statues, benches, running water in bowls (for dogs, yes indeedy), water fountains for people, and LOTS of trees for people seeking… shade? (I guess).
In fact, the only major downside, is that there is a fair amount of traffic around these blocks, so a parent or pet owner has to remain vigilant, lest the unthinkable happen. Perhaps a minor one is that around the blocks themselves there are no beckoning store fronts with ice cream, or skateboards, or similar treats which might draw foot traffic. Such shops are only a few blocks away, however, so enjoy the green respite the North Park Blocks have to offer.