In the last 10 years, Portland became a destination for people from all over the country. How? A natural progression of artists finding a place where they could live inexpensively while gathering the energy of other like-minded individuals to pursue their passion; a place where the nuts-and-bolts workers could thrive; and a place where natural resources were creatively deployed; fishermen gave Portland its distinctive flavor.

As is usual in a case like this, investors took notice and started buying up properties to cash in. Suddenly, chain hotels starting sprouting like poisonous mushrooms, and out-of-proportion condo buildings sprang up, devouring neighborhoods and altering the landscape of what was a certain community feel.

Even cultural institutions felt the need to be involved in the cash grab. For instance, Portland’s best-known museum, which had a decades-long policy of letting people see great shows, like the Winslow Homer exhibit or the William Paley collection, for free one evening a week, rescinded that policy and began charging an admission fee on that day – probably so the new curator could persuade his friends from New York and Boston that they would no longer have to risk contamination by rubbing elbows with the working poor. (The Friday night admission fee was for the Winslow Homer and William Paley collection exhibits; the museum has since reinstated free admission on Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m.)

The mayor and the City Council, seemingly mesmerized by the new cash flow, have sat back and let all this happen, having no apparent concept of the inevitable results: The rents will climb, the artists and workers will move to a more affordable place, and what’s left of the working class will move to one poor area that must, under no circumstances, be referred to as a “ghetto.”

Welcome to Providence 101.

J.T. Nichols

Portland

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