NEWS
BY CORINNE BOYER
RIVERFRONT MASTER
PLAN CONCEPT BY
ROWELL BROKAW
TAKE ME TO THE
RIVER
Urban renewal redevelopment along
the Willamette targets public access
improvements
he city of Eugene is aiming to complete construc-
tion for a park and other riverfront redevelopment
by 2021. The future park is part of the city’s Riv-
erfront Urban Renewal District, which includes 16
acres of riverfront property sold by the Eugene Wa-
ter and Electric Board to the city for $5.75 million in 2016.
Amanda Nobel Flannery, the economic prosperity pro-
grams manager with the city, says, “The riverfront redevel-
opment is likely to be a key destination for the 2021 IAAF
World Track and Field championships.”
The master plan for the riverfront property was ap-
proved in 2010 after input from more than 1,000 commu-
nity members, Nobel Flannery says.
In addition to the park, the plan includes “a high qual-
ity multi-use riverfront redevelopment that will reflect the
community’s vision of providing economic and housing
opportunities, promoting compact urban development and
enhancing natural resources,” she says.
The venture would be paid for with urban-renewal fund-
ing, otherwise known as tax increment financing, which
opponents say diverts property tax revenue for schools and
essential city and county services.
Nobel Flannery says the city has just signed an exclu-
sive negotiating agreement with Williams & Dame, a po-
tential developer. It provides for six months due diligence
process on their part, she says, and the company is inter-
ested in owning and redeveloping the property consistent
with the riverfront master plan.
Those concerned about the idea of the city’s green-
lighting another boxy Capstone or Home2 Suites project
with little to no setbacks may note that Williams & Dame
developed Portland’s Pearl and South Waterfront districts.
Part of the redevelopment plan also encompasses a de-
sign to connect Willamette Street to the Willamette River.
Will Dowdy, with the city’s planning department, says
Willamette to Willamette is a “handful of projects that are
intended to bring downtown closer to the river.”
After reaching out to the public, Dowdy says people
consistently talked about the connectivity and the barriers
that prevent an easy commute from downtown to the river.
Dowdy says the river is only a half mile from the inter-
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A ugust 31, 2017 • eugeneweekly.com
section of Eighth Avenue and Willamette Street, but navi-
ing to strengthen that connection rather than push farther
gating the existing path to the river isn’t obvious. “Once
away from it,” Dowdy says.
you get along the railroad tracks — because right now you
Scott Clarke, an architect with Pivot Architecture in
have to kind of go around a parking lot area — you go
Eugene and chair of AIA-SWO Eugene-Springfield Com-
through tall fences with barbed wire at the top,” he says.
mittee on Local Affairs, answered questions together with
Public input also identified
fellow CoLA members regarding
a few crucial barriers that com-
the implementation of the RURD
muters face when walking or
via email. Eugene Weekly asked
biking to the river. Dowdy says
if both plans for a new City Hall
the city is working to improve
and courthouse should be con-
the intersection of Eighth Avenue
sidered once construction begins
and Mill Street, the railroad track
on Willamette to Willamette.
crossing and to improve Eighth
“The new locations for City
Avenue.
Hall and the new County Court-
“One of the things that we
house strongly support the Wil-
are looking at is to see if Eighth
lamette to Willamette plan. As
Avenue can feel less like a cor-
such, their construction will im-
ridor for moving cars quickly
prove the viability of the EWEB
into downtown and more like
riverfront
redevelopment,”
any other part of downtown,” he
Clarke wrote in an email. “The
— Will Dowdy, city planner
says.
two civic projects will support
Dowdy adds that the loudest
riverfront redevelopment pro-
complaint from the public is the
vided that they support the objec-
unpleasant commute along Eighth. “Some of that has to do
tives of Willamette to Willamette.”
with the development or lack of development on the prop-
And as far as worries of Capstone go, Clarke adds that
erties along it,” he says, which includes the former city hall
community and board participation were kept in mind with
site and fencing around the empty lot.
the development of the EWEB Riverfront Master Plan.
Plans are under way to convert Eighth Avenue into a
“It is a master plan that identifies values and strategies
two-way street — when it’s due for repaving in the next
that will result in a diverse, inclusive, sustainable neigh-
few years — and to improve bicycle lanes, he says.
borhood,” according to the email. “Capstone, by compari-
When asked about the origin of the barriers to the river,
son, was a single-use development beholden mostly to the
Dowdy says riverfront redevelopment is happening across
city’s land use code and the market demands of student
the country in communities that once used their rivers as
housing,” Clarke writes.
the industrial centers of town, and which historically have
“The city cannot ensure architectural quality,” he con-
moved their business and residential centers away from the
tinues. “It can only establish conditions that will increase
river.
the likeliness of establishing appropriate uses, densi-
“But now, as the economy has been changing and
ties, and other conditions that allow the creation of safe,
evolving over the last two decades, the riverfront location
sustainable built environments.”
doesn’t have the same industrial significance, and so in Eu-
The city is looking for volunteers to serve on a “River Guides” advisory com-
mittee on the RURD. To apply, call Amanda Nobel Flannery at 541-682-5535 or
gene — just like many other communities — we’re at the
email Amanda.NobelFlannery@ci.eugene.or.us. Applications are due Sept. 25.
point where we are rediscovering our waterfront and look-
One of the things that
we are looking at is to
see if Eighth Avenue
can feel less like a
corridor for moving cars
quickly into downtown
and more like any other
part of downtown.