Southern Crossing
The Old Mill District
The Southern Crossing neighborhood gets its name from having the southern most bridge that crosses the Deschutes River in the City of Bend. Prior to the Bill Heally Bridge being constructed in 2004, this section of the river along where Reed Market Rd used to dead end at Woodriver Village was fronted by dirt on both sides and did not see much activity. Today Reed Market Rd crosses Bill Heally Bridge and connects with Century Dr and Mount Washington Dr. This section of river is now home to Farewell Bend Park, which is one of the most popular parks in Bend; and Woodriver Village is starting to see revitalization as its location has become popular and the manufactured homes are being replaced by newly constructed homes.
By far the most popular attraction of the Southern Crossing area is The Old Mill District. This is the site of Bend's original lumber mills. The mills have all since closed down and the area has been renovated and replaced by The Shops at the Old Mill shopping area, the Les Schwab Amphitheatre, Regal movie theater, commercial offices, hotels, and condos. The architectural design of the Old Mill buildings is reminiscent of the mill buildings, and the center piece of the area is the last original building from the old mill operations. The building has been completely restored and the trademark three smoke stacks can be seen from many vantage points around the city. This is a relatively new area and is still evolving, but the area is quickly becoming a popular alternative to Downtown.
