Concordia

Concordia was platted in the early 20th century and developed as a working and middle-class residential neighborhood east of the Alameda Ridge. The name — meaning harmony — was chosen by developers in the tradition of aspirational neighborhood naming that produced Beaumont, Irvington, and other NE Portland neighborhood names of the period.

Concordia University, a small Lutheran liberal arts college, opened in the neighborhood in 1905 and operated for more than a century before closing in 2020 — a significant loss for the neighborhood's identity and the community organizations it had supported. The campus is being redeveloped.

The neighborhood sits at the eastern edge of the Alberta Arts District's influence — some of Alberta's creative energy has extended into Concordia over the past decade, but more slowly and with less displacement pressure than the blocks closer to NE 15th.

The stretch of NE Alberta east of 30th has a genuine neighborhood coffee shop and restaurant culture — less curated than the arts district section of Alberta, more oriented toward the people who live there. Sweedeedee, a brunch spot on N Albina at the neighborhood's western edge, is one of the best breakfast places in Portland and worth the wait.

Concordia has one of the highest concentrations of community gardens in Portland — the neighborhood's relatively large lots and active neighborhood association have supported a network of shared growing spaces. Fernhill Park, on NE 37th and Ainsworth, is a large, well-maintained neighborhood park with sports fields and a year-round community presence. The Concordia Community Association is one of the more active neighborhood organizations in NE Portland.