ty to a residentially zoned riverbank field on
the far edge of town. Even with the proposed
fixes, “they’ve got the same kinds of prob-
lems,” Johnson said. The Glenwood option
“might be a lot faster.”
Delay — Planning and building a hos-
pital in Glenwood would take time. But
strong popular and political support could
mean less delays than building at RiverBend.
Already, the RiverBend project is one year
behind schedule.
Room to Expand — Glenwood
has enough room to fit the 49-acre
RiverBend project, including the 2,500 park-
ing spaces, a 1.1 million sq. ft. hospital com-
plex and 400,000 sq. ft. more of ancillary
buildings PeaceHealth has described in pub-
lic documents for RiverBend.
Glenwood is centrally located.
Birth control supplies
for men and women
Pregnancy counseling and testing
While Glenwood offers equal or greater
advantages to PeaceHealth than RiverBend,
it offers far greater advantages to the com-
munity.
Cost — Not having to serve sprawling
edge development with costly new roads,
sewers and other services could save taxpay-
ers millions. Compared to RiverBend’s
greenfield, much of the transportation and
service infrastructure needed for Glenwood
already exists or requires only short connec-
tions.
Convenience — As said, Glenwood
is centrally located and offers short com-
mutes for hospital workers and patrons and
will be served by frequent BRT bus service.
Safety — Ambulances would have
shorter trips to Glenwood than RiverBend.
In earthquakes and floods, Glenwood would
likely be accessible to most of the population
whereas access to RiverBend is vulnerable
to collapsed bridges and flooding.
Environment — Shorter trips for the
thousands of hospital workers and customers
will mean far less exhaust and less of the
ugly freeways and urban sprawl that threat-
ened the area’s environment and quality of
life. Whereas RiverBend threatens the pris-
tine natural McKenzie waterfront, the
Glenwood option would help restore a park-
like Willamette riverfront that’s now blem-
ished by ugly industrial uses to the top of the
riverbank.
“There’s a location there that could be
improved rather than destroyed,” Johnson
says.
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“Everything that they wanted at
RiverBend is accommodated,” Poticha says.
Land Use Laws — Like
RiverBend, Glenwood would require
changes in land use plans and zoning. Such
changes could be expedited if local officials
unite behind Glenwood as a better choice for
the community.
Quality of Health Care —
PeaceHealth has emphasized the importance
of the “healing” natural environment of the
McKenzie River to its decision to choose
RiverBend. But Glenwood also offers an
attractive riverfront with views of East Alton
Baker Park on the other bank. Plans for the
site include a wide, park-like riparian buffer
with a bike trail and perhaps a bike bridge to
the park.
GLENWOOD OPTION
the road because of a dangerous bend.
Expensive — Springfield just passed
an urban renewal district for Glenwood that
could help finance infrastructure improve-
ments and land acquisition. Tax diversion
from ancillary, for-profit development
spurred by the non-profit hospital would fill
the coffers of the urban renewal district. In
addition, state and federal transportation and
economic development money would likely
flow to the popular major project. By build-
ing in Glenwood, PeaceHealth could also
save the $10 million it has pledged to help
solve traffic problems it is creating with
RiverBend. PeaceHealth has spent millions
acquiring land at RiverBend, but could
recoup some or all of that investment by
reselling the land. Riverfront land for the
hospital in Glenwood would cost an estimat-
ed $18 million to buy, that’s several million
dollars less than the reported profits
PeaceHealth gave developer John
Musumeci for land at RiverBend.
Uncertainty — Popular and politi-
cal support for a far less urban sprawl-induc-
ing site could smooth over difficulties of
building in Glenwood. Opposition to the
RiverBend site continues to create political
and legal uncertainty for PeaceHealth.
RiverBend was rejected by the courts for
zoning and traffic problems and PeaceHealth
is now seeking to shore up the plan by hav-
ing the Springfield City Council change
local regulations. But Al Johnson, an attor-
ney for the Jaquas, says the proposed fixes
aren’t likely to solve the legal problems of
moving a downtown regional medical facili-
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