Friendly

Friendly Neighborhood is one of those areas people ask for. Granted, many of Eugene’s neighborhoods share that honor, but when someone really loves the friendly neighborhood they’re often quite particular about landing … just … there.

Nestled at the bottom of College Hill’s western slope, Friendly neighborhood comes across just that.

Friendly.

The streets are fairly mellow with a bit of arterial traffic coming up from downtown on Jefferson St. to access 29th, or merely to access the neighborhood that features numerous parks (Washington, Madison Meadow, Friendly Park among others), schools (Adams and Village School) and a remodel of Friendly St. Market, a hippie-stylish purveyor featuring a good produce section, a turbo-boosted deli and many alternative products considered healthy and yummy. Friendly Market, with it’s look updated only recently, has become a meeting-place hub for one of Eugene’s most cherished ‘hoods, where houses get snapped up if priced correctly.

The South Eugene school district line runs north/south through this neighborhood, sending some kids to South and others to Churchill. The official neighborhood is bordered on the east by Amazon Creek, Chambers to the west, W 18 Ave. to the south and 29th Ave. at the northernmost boundary.

To the south find hills rising up into the Crest Drive Neighborhood and the windy, beautiful, forested area there. Though to some it’s own neighborhood, College Hill is the rise between Friendly Neighborhood and Willamette St., and it has a selection of homes priced higher than their brethren just below on the flats.

Friendly to bikes, friendly to neighbors, friendly to kids, friendly to each other.

That’s how the Friendly neighborhood comes across to me.