Oregon daily emerald., June 18, 1973, community section, Page 4, Image 5

The
Mall:
the
heart
of
the
city
Early in 1970, downtown Eugene looked like any Main Street, USA.
Four-lane traffic, parked cars, bicycles and pedestrians congested
the streets. The scenery consisted of traffic lights, stop signs, theater
marquees, business signs and power lines. The buildings in the
downtown area were of various ages, some newer, some very old,
some attractive, some not so attractive.
Friday and Saturday nights, the downtown area turned into a drag
strip. The sidewalks were crowded with young people who used the
area as a hang-out.
If you take yourself downtown now, you’ll wonder if it’s the same
city. Pleasant fountains, trees and flowers, comfortable conversation
places and play areas for children occupy the lanes between the
stores. Many of the stores are new or remodeled.
That may seem like a quick transition, but, as with many other
things, doing it didn’t take nearly as long as getting ready to do it. The
Eugene Mall had been talked about for 20 years.
One version of a mall was tried in 1949 and another in 1959, when a
temporary mall was set up during a two-week closure of Broadway.
In 1966, a Community Goals Conference was held to set up
priorities and idas as to what community people wanted the city to be.
One of the goals was to develop a mall to separate pedestrians and
traffic.
Once the goals were adopted, the next step was to decide how to go
about physically reconstructing the downtown area.
A survey and planning application was filed with the federal
government renewal program. It was approved for $480,000 in 1966.
Citizens participated in the first stages of the planning phase,
which lasted from December, 1966, to October, 1968.
Through a careful back-and forth planning process, with planners
making recommendations and the community giving ideas, most of
the oppostion to the mall had disappeared by the time the plan was
actually adopted.
“The Eugene Renewal Agency is tne Duuaer-aeveloper of the
mall. Once an area is completed and inspected it is turned over to the
city. The city parks and recreation department is in charge of
maintaining the mall, watering the trees and shrubs, keeping the area
clean and scheduling activities,” says Don Hulbert, community
relations advisor to the ERA.
The Eugene Renewal Agency is a seven-member con^pnission
appointed by the mayor and the Eugene City Council. Before the
agency came into being, the city council acted as a renewal agency.
“Part of Eugene Renewal Agency’s goal is architectural ex
cellence. We attempted to provide some continuity without similarity
in the designs of the buildings,” says Hulbert. Some of the businesses
that were already on the mall invested money in renovation or
redecoration to improve their buildings.
Besides the building improvements, the mall was designed to
provide a space in which pedestrians are free to move in, around, and
through. Seating areas are placed in strategic locations to offer
pleasant views and protection from sun and rain. Play areas offer
parents and children time out from shopping. Public telephones, a
self-service postal station and public rest rooms are available.
The Central Plaza, at the intersection of Broadway and
Willamette, is the focal point of the mall. It serves as an assembly
place and can be used for exhibits or other forms of entertainment. A
second-level viewing platform at the southeast comer of the plaza
provides cover below. Bulletin boards are available at the Chamelton
Street entrance on Broadway and on Willamette Street near loth
Avenue. The overpark at 10th and Oak provides 600 parking spaces.
The mall covers approximately five acres. One and a half blocks
are finished. Several areas will be opening this summer, including the
portion of the Portland Federal Savings building not occupied by the
bank, the Sahlstrom building, the EYE-ARC building which houses an
optometrist and an architect, Asian Gardens at 7th and Willamette,
the new version of Ming’s restaurant, and phase two of the MJ Center.
The mall is expected to be completed in 1975 and the Urban Renewal
project in 1976.
Some city ordinances govern use of the mall. Animals, except
seeing eye dogs, are not permitted in the mall. Nor is bike riding or
climbing any tree or structure other than a stairway, except in
authorized play areas. A “no excessive touching” ordinance prohibits
licentious behavior.
The mall is available for activities, but activity permits must be
obtained through the Parks and Recreation department at City Hall.
Sue Douglas, information coordinator, says that the mall has been
used in the past for ‘‘promotion for plays, an Oregon Museum of
Science and Industry picnic, performances by musical groups in
cluding religious, chamber and rock music, political speeches and
promoting various causes, from Wounded Knee to pro-Vietnam war
activities.” The park department is considering the possibility of
using the mall for various displays, Douglas says.
A park-like atmosphere prevails in the mall and shopping is
pleasant, the pace leisurely. There is no evidence of the concrete-and
exhaust nightmare that downtown Eugene used to be.
Terri Scarborough
The mall is for the young and old.
Photo by Nick Lacy