I got a call asking for information on Lake Oswego neighborhoods this week. It reminded me just how nuanced and varied the different areas of this little hamlet are. The Property Blotter has a whole section devoted to write-ups on individual neighborhoods which you can access on our home page under…”Neighborhoods” : ) if you’d like an in-depth look at any of them. In any event, this is a casual look at the areas & neighborhoods of Lake Oswego~
You’ve got the older part on the State St side, and the newer part on the Boones Ferry Rd side, and corresponding zip codes of 97034 & 97035, generally speaking. Of course everyone thinks of First Addition on the older side with it’s carefully laid-out grid: A, B, C, D, !st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th…you get it. First Addition was originally designed as a “company town” in the early days & is now one of the most sought-after neighborhoods with it’s proximity to everything Lake Oswego & otherwise. Palisades is up the hill on the southern/opposite side of town with it’s little town center, hilly views of the Willamette River & Lake, public golf course and easy access to Hwy 205, Hwy 43 (w/a 15-minute trip into downtown Portland), and South Shore Blvd meandering in a luxurious commute to the newer side of Lake Oswego to the west. Hallinan is next to Palisades, also hilly and has it’s own feel with walking trails & a beautiful park. The older side also has Northshore with it’s train & bridges & island, Lakewood on the south side of Lakewood Bay, Evergreen on its north side, Riverfront with the Iron Smelter and Waterfront Parks on the Willamette, Country Club, Red Fox Hills bordering Tryon Natural Area, Forest Hills which is close to First Addition, Glenmorrie heading our towards Marylhurst near the Willamette and Southshore along the south side of the lake. You also have Dunthorpe and Riverwood at the very north end of the area, which are communities/destinations of their own.
The “newer” part of Lake Oswego is bounded by Mountain Park on the northwestern edge which was built as a planned community with hills and walking trails and a community pool as well as other benefits shared by the residents. Lots of the best opportunities for condo living are found in Mountain Park. Uplands is nestled against Country Club, but edges out to Boones Ferry, so it’s kind of part of the older area, but in the middle. Lakewood which is a little peninsula, Westlake which sits on the western edge of Lake Oswego and offers both beauty and the easy connection to Kruse Way, I-5 and all things “west end”. Lake Forest enchants with its wooded splendor, West Bay nestles on the west side of the lake, Bryant is charming with it’s restaurants, services & lovely neighborhoods, Westridge is hidden away with its sleepy streets built around the elementary school, Blue Heron & the Canals are enticing with their unusual living opportunities on the water, Rosewood & River Grove offer relaxed charm on the very south end of Lake Oswego.
