Submitted by Sandy Morley

The skyline of Hillsboro may see a change if condos 20 stories tall are developed in the next 20 years.  The city is already recognized for Intel's Ronler Acres campus, Orenco Station and Tanasbourne shopping helping Hillsboro win "Best New Suburb" by Sunset Magazine.  Planners envision developing the area south of Northwest Cornell Road as the new hot location for high-income singles and two-member households who prefer not to live in Portland.

Many major cities have suburbs of this scale although Portland is not usually considered for this type of development.  Initial plans show as many as nine 20-story buildings and a number of smaller towers housing condos, retail, office space and research centers located around a 35-acre park.  Imagine a "Pearl District" for the suburbs with transportation, upscale livability and many neccessities within walking distance.

With the opening of a new Genentech Inc. location and a handful of other big name companies city planners estimate 7,000 to 8,000 new jobs in the Hillsboro area and over 270,000 new residents to move to Washington County in the next 25 years.

Today I took a phone call from a prospective buyer looking to move from California to Hillsboro to work for Genentech.  The timing of her call and the Sunday Oregonian's article on the possible new Hillsboro development may be a sign that Hillsboro could be the next hot place to buy!  While we may not know for another 25 years if it happens, it will be interesting to see a suburb develop  that could be the first of many for large cities across the nation.  Once again the Pacific Northwest is embracing new ideas and leading the nation as the best place to live! Okay - maybe that is just my opinion :)