Oregon daily
emerald
Wednesday, May 30, 1984
Eugene, Oregon
Volume 85, Number 165
City, University discuss industrial park
By Michael Doke
Of the Emerald
University Pres. Paul Olum met with
members of the Eugene City Council
Tuesday to discuss a topic of mutual in
terest — economic expansion and diver
sity for the region.
And the area to expand should be at an
industrial and research park that could
be built on the mainly University-owned
property between the Willamette River
and Franklin Boulevard.
"It could be the most exciting
economic development in the state,"
said Mayor-elect Brian Obie.
Olum, who attended a work dinner
session at the Treehouse Restaurant
along with members of his administra
tion, agreed with a proposal to construct
a riverfront park to be used by software
industry companies. The project would
be built on the land between the Ferry
Street bridge and the Autzen Stadium
footbridge. The park could be expanded
up the Willamette River as far as the In
terstate 5 treeway bridge.
"Here's the trouble: the University is
standing at a crossroad," said Olum.
"People (the faculty) stay here because
they believe this could be a fantastic
area. But we can't continue with budget
cuts like the $1.2 million this year by the
state."
Olum said that the University today,
through its academic departments, is
probably at the peak of its strength. Pro
fessors here, though they are paid 25 per
cent to 30 percent less than their national
peers, are among the best in the country,
he said.
"Here's the message: we are standing
at a threshold. The University is poised to
explode in quality if funding matched
the quality of the staff," Olum said.
That quality could come from a river
front industrial park that would not only
attract industry and create jobs but could
put the technology gained in the Univer
sity's science department to work, said
Dick Hersh, University vice president.
New technology and knowledge must
be used early in industry to be effective,
Hersh said. The University with an adja
cent industral park could compliment
this process, he said.
“There are two kinds of ignorance.
One is the ignorance that can be solved
just by asking a question. The other lies
on the edge of knowledge — what we
won't know until tomorrow," Hersh said.
“This new technology must be applied
quickly; industry feeds on the calories
produced by a university," he said.
Don Genasci, associate professor of ar
chitecture, said the riverfront project
would bring the downtown and the
University together; the area would be a
piece of Eugene rather than just a park.
Not only would industry be allowed to
use the area, but some commercial
buildings and even residential uses
could be considered, he said.
“But, we must retain — perhaps even
enhance — the beauty of the area,"
Genasci said.
Hersh added that one big company
should not be given sole use of the park,
but its use should be divided among
several technological related industries.
The majority of the land discussed for
park development belongs to the Univer
sity. Most of the rest belongs to the
Eugene Water and Electric Board and
Agripac, said |im Farah, of the Eugene
Planning Commission.
"It's a hell of a place," said Mayor Gus
Keller. "It's a very, very good project that
could brighten our future."
Obie said that the University and the
council must gather with a joint voice
when meeting with legislators. Olum
agreed, adding "the council must rein
force the view that the University is im
portant to the future of Eugene."
"When we talk about economic diver
sity for Eugene, we're talking about the
whole southwest part of Oregon," said
Councilmember Emily Schue. "We must
make this clear to the legislature."
Farah and his associates plan to make a
six month study of the project, con
cluding in January next year.
Clash City University
About 3,000 fans of The Clash were treated to one of
the best shows to be staged in MacArthur Court this
year. The Clash played songs that delighted their fans
and spanned their seven year career. Joe Strummer,
shown above singing next to guitar player nick Shep
pard, set the pace for his band's energetic performance.
A review of the show appears on page 12.
Photo by Hank Trotter
Senate subcommittee
approves $2.3 million
campus building grant
_ By Doug Nash
Of the Emerald
A new University science building came
c loser to reality last week, when a U.S. Senate
energy and water resources subcommittee ap
proved $2.3 million for planning and design of
the facility.
And the new building is sorely needed,
says University Pres. Paul Olum.
"The need is very great," Olum says. "Our
science program is one of the best anywhere;
we just don't have enough space to house it
all."
The building probably would house many
of the general sciences, including computer
science, material science and optical science,
Olum says.
As the emphasis on high tech research
continues to grow, the building would serve a
necessary function by providing more space
for the University's advanced science and
technology program, he says.
"The building will be a very comprehen
sive one," Olum says. "It would be a basic
structure for housing our modern sciences, ad
vanced sciences and technical programs."
All the project needs now is money.
Oregon Sen. Mark Hatfield expects his Ap
propriations Committee, as well as the full
Senate, to approve the University request. The
money is contained in a $15.3 billion appropria
tion for a variety of energy and water
resources.
Olum estimates the building's total con
struction cost to be about $20 million to $30
million. If the planning money is approved,
Olum says the University will request full
federal funding for the building itself, perhaps
next year.
"This is intended to be federally funded,"
he says. "But right now we're just in the
preliminary stages."
There are two possible places to put the
new building, Olum says. The facility could be
built in Emerald Hall's current location or it
could be constructed as part of a proposed
"research park" across from Franklin
Boulevard.
The University also has requested $12
million from the State Board of Higher Educa
tion for another science-related capital con
struction project, Olum says. He emphasizes,
though, that the University's main building
priorities still are the proposals for new library
and architecture facilities.