8 A
WEDNESDAY. MAY 3. 19B1
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE. MEDFORD. OREGON
d Get tost by City
(Mfra Owic Esnter Gou
A - ' i .
Original Idea of
1931 Has Existed
In Planners
By OREO NOlCES
Mail Tribune SUM Writer
The idea of a Medford civic
center, although it was first
broached in 1931, hai never
really gotten off the ground.
It hai existed largely in the
minda only of city planners
from 30 years ago to the pres
ent i'he reason for this is that
no real study has ever been
given to the proposal. Mow
ever, if the city council is
willine. the planning commls
alon will soon give the civic
center idea what it feels is a
long overdue look-see. 1
This would be done under a
joint city-federal public build
ings study which is planned
for the next fiscal year. It
has been suggested that the
civic center approach be
made an integral part of this
tudy.
What is presently known
about the civic center propo
' aal ean be summed up in a few
paragraphs.
Original Idea
- The idea was originally that
of the 1831 planning commis
alon working with Jacob L.
Crane Jr., a Chicago planning
consultant, It was prompted
by the knowledge that a new
courthouse would be built in
the city as 1931 was the year
in which the county seat was
transferred from Jacksonville
to Medford.
Crane and the planning
commission selected an area
around Central park (now
Westside park) as the site for
the civic center. It was then
anticipated that the city li
brary, which was constructed
in 1911, would be moved to
a new location leaving a park
that was two square blocks in
. size.
The commission suggested
that such buildings as hotels,
churches, a municipal audito
rium, a city hall, the court
house and the new library be
constructed around and facing
the park.
There Plan Rested
The courthouse was built In
the center following a vote by
the citizens of Medford, but
' there the plan rested-untll the
present.
It is ironic that it is again
a m'Jor public building, this
time the proposed tZVa mil
lion Medford federal building
that is largely responsible for
reviving the plan. The plan
ning commission had earlier
decided to try and go ahead
with the plan, but it admits
that its deliberations on the
matter were speeded up by
the federal building.
The commission took the
1931 plan, and taking into ac
count the demand for larger
buildings and more parking
area, expanded it to tentative
ly include an 11-block area
bounded by Main, Mistletoe,
10th and Holly st.
The plan would make use of
the courthouse, library and
existing park area. And it is
hoped that in the future the
federal building, a state office
building, a new, city hall,
school district offices, and
possibly even a public audito
rium could be built in the
area,1'" . '
Not Developed Overnight
A civic center is not devel
oped overnight, and the plan
ning commission has no false
hopes that such can be done
here. But there is an opportu
nity to have several new pub
lic buildings erected in Med'
ford within a relatively short
period of time and those
would give the civic center
the boost it needs.
These public buildings, both
present and future, would be
integrated both in appearance
and in their relationship to
one another. Off-street park
ing would be provided, and
the civic center area itself
would be landscaped to some
degree.
This is where the idea rests
today.
A major study would be re
quired to determine such nec
essary things as: the appear
ance and design of the civic
center itself, the kind, size
nd location of the public
buildings to be included in
the center; the manner or de
gree to which these buildings
should be architecturally in
tegrated; the amount of off
strjet parking area that would
be needed; and, of roune, the
cost of the city's shire in such
a project.
The civic center in theory
Is not new. Civic centers of
one kind or another could be
found in some of mankind's
earliest cities.
In the United States many
large cities, such as Los Ange
les, have civic centers, and o
do many smaller eltles, such
as Eugene. However, as City
Planning Consultant Ned
Langford points out, there is
genuine disagreement on the
desirability of having civic
centers, particularly in small
er oiliei.
Many persons favor the
1 Pi rafcroXvx )V&!
O is
iv ,fi I .raw ttmMi
I
j i i
I.
CIVIC CENTER Plct i) red above is an 11-block area that
is being tentatively proposed as the site of a Medford
civic center. The current proposal Is based on a similar
proposal that wa drawn up in 1931. The area is bounded
by Main, Mistletoe, 10th and Holly sts. A civic center
scattered development of pub
lie buildings, such as Medford j
has now, rather than having
them all grouped together at
one central location.
The chief arguments for a
civic center can be found in
the civic center plan for Eu
gene, That city's civic center
is already partially complet
ed, at an initial cost to the
city of slightly more than $1
million, which Includes a city
hall. The Eugene plan lists
four main advantages:
Convenience to the pub
lic. Transaction of business
often requires contacts with
two or more agencies of the
same or different levels of
government. Grouping of pub
lic offices simplifies the prob
lems for these citizens. The
civic center also provides for
off-street narking and inv
Droved mass transit service.
Increased administrative
efficiency. When public build
ings are . grouped in a civic
center, closer liaison between
governmental agencies re
sults, eliminating unnecessary
duplication of work by the
various agencies.
Consolidate Departments '
Close liaison between gov
ernment agencies tends to
consolidate departments for
city-county services such as
public health, jail ana city
county planning.
(Much time is currently be
ing wasted in the Medford po
lice department as the result
of the frequent transfer of
prisoners to the county jail,
and because of the necessary
appearances of city officers in
district and circuit courts.)
Economy in land acquisi
tion. It is simpler and less
costly to expand a civic center
to meet increased needs tnan
It is to expand public build-
in a sites that are scattered
throughout the central area of
the city.
Civic pride. Certainly the
grouping of public buildings
is more effective, it instills a
greater sense of pride to the
citizenry, and it Is a landmark
visited and remembered by
many tourists.
'Embodment of Civic Pride
A publication of the Ameri
can Society of Planning Offl
clals goes even further on
this last point and calls the
civic centor "the embodiment
of civic pride." It adds that
the civic center, because of its
size, becomes the architectural
focus of the city; it is also "a
chance to give part of a city
back to the pedestrians."
- In selecting a location for a
civic center, the Planning Ad
visory Service declares:
"Nearly all experts on civic
center planning agree that a
civic center should be down
town."
A Dayton, Ohio, civic cen
ter study states: "A civic cen
ter should not be In the heart
of the business district be
cause it would break the con
tinuity of business structures
. . , and a large amount of
potential commercial land
would be put to less profitable
use; and unrelated vehicular
traffic would be routed
through the commercial area.
A site on the fringe of the
central retail district is gen
erally a preferred location."
City Planning Consultant
Langford has told the Med
ford city council in the past
that the planning commission
Morse Opposes More Direct
Military Action Against Cuba
By A. ROBERT SMITH
Mall Tribune Washington
Correspondent
Washington - What should
the United States do about
Cuba?
Nobody seems to know, al
though there seems to be a
general cli
mate here
which would
support more
direct Amerl-
can military
action against
Castro.
Last week
Morse came
close to an
smith open break
with the Kennedy administra
tion on this question. The Sen
ator was more than a little
annoyed because he and the
Senate Latin American Sub
committee, which he heads,
had not been let in on Ameri
can . plans respecting Cuba,
either before or after the in
vasion by Cuban rebels.
As the new president stood
amid the wreckage of that
abortive operation, Washing
ton wondered what he would
do to try to recoup his first
major political setback. As
Kennedy met with a host of
Republican leaders, from El
senhower and Hoover to Mac
Arthur and Goldwater, the
Oregon Senator suspected he
had been deliberately left out
In the cold because the Ken
nedy administration was plan
ning another invasion and was
seeking OOP sanction in ad
vance. '
Spoke His Mind
Morse had previously spok
en his mind against any mili
tary intervention. In a lengthy
Senate speech April 24, Morse
warned that direct American
action against Cuba would
easily topple Castro but also
alienate much of the rest of
Latin America, which is
much more Important than
that melancholy little Carib
bean island voider Communist
domination.
"Cuba is not a dagger point
ed at the heart of the United
feels the courthouse site is a
good site for the civic center
for three main reasons:
It is close, but not too
close to the central business
district.
It already has a nucleus
In the courthouse, park and
library.
And Jt would help stimu
late growth on the west side
of the city.
In a proposed generalized
land-use plan for the city of
Me'dford, which is now In the
hands of the planning com
mission and city council, the
courthouse civic center site is
recommended as an important
part of the overall plan for
the city.
Bureau of municipal re
search personnel who pre
pared the land-use plan state:
"It Is In the design and devel
opment of public buildings
and facilities that the people
of the city can beat express
their Ideas concerning the
kind of community that Med
ford should become."
would make use of the courthouse, library and park, and
would include such future public buildings as a state office
building, the federal building, a new City hall, and possibly
even a municipal auditorium. ,
States, but is Instead a thorn
in our flesh," declared Morse.
"If the United States seeks to
settle it differences I with
Cuba through the use of mili
tary might, either direct or
indirect, we shall be at least
a half century recovering, if
we ever recover the prestige,
the understanding, the sympa
thy and the confidence of one
Latin American .lelghbor aft
er another."
At the moment, there are
many Latin American officials
who are friendly to the United
States, but they are uneasy,
Morse said, due to unrest
among their own people.
These people want reforms,
and they still see Castro as the
symbol of reform, despite his
affiliations with the Reds. Mil
itary action against Cestro by
the United States would be in
terpreted by leftwing forces
as American opposition to
social reform, Morse con
tended. '
Threat To Latins ' 1
The proper course of action
would be to act in concert
with all the other Latin na
tions. Communism in Cuba
represents a greater threat to
the other Latin nations than
to the United States, Morse
observed, and the United
States should call for a meet
ing of the Organization of
American States to get this
point across and plan joint ac
tion to avert the spread of
Communism.
The American states at
Caracas In March, 1954. adopt
ed a declaration respecting the
threat of Communism in the
hemisphere. It declared that
"The domination or control of
the political Institutions of any
American state by the inter
national Communist move
ment, extending to this hem
isphere the political systems
of an extracontinental power,
would constitute threat to
the sovereignty and political
Independence of the American
states, endangering the peace
of America, and would call
for a meeting of consultation
to consider the adoption of ap
propriate action in accordance
with existing treaties."
The big question is to de
fine "appropriate action," But
Morse's point is that it must
ATTENTION
NAME
ADDRESS
With no obligation, pleat tend mo full details
of the prepaid hospital-doctor plan of . , .
SOUTHERN OREGON HEALTH SERVICE
16 South fertlttt. Mtdford St 2-6582
Established and Activt In Southern Oregon
As a Health Co-operative Since 1943
be defined by the nations of
this hemisphere In concert and
not by the United States
alone.
This week Secretary of
State Dean Ruak briefed
Morse's subcommittee for
three hours on the Cuban flay
co. Afterward, Morse said he
was quite relieved to hear that
no new invasion was contem
plated by the United States. ,
) Meaiurw ap
proved Monday:
By the Senate
8R1 1 Contract!,
purchaiM and
Mies made by atate agendea.
ClaU.
Bua saucauonu
television
SBS40 Beach eaeementf.
SBMfr -Tout trw executive u-
Utanti for the governor.
SBS92 Bond.
HB 1 563 Heal estate broken.
HB1S73 Port of Portland con
tract..
HBlSTB Donating one'a body
for iclentlfle and medical purposes.
HB1584 Licensing of real estate
broken and aaleimen.
HB16S4 Liquefied petroleum
gas.
HJR36 Allows Oregon to be
represented at national legislative
conference.
HBH52 sentencing.
HB 1203 Ad Valorem taxes.
HB1223 Fees paid by litigants
for court ' reporter service.
HB1306--Mr.naKement of Brooer-
ty owned or administered by board
of control.
HB1397 Reimbursement of
tu-
dent driver training.
HB 1 435 Tax exemptions lor
fallout shelters.
HB1531 Defining submerged
lands.
HB1B32 Permits tidelanda leas
ing for private oil exploration.
HB154& Statutory liens.
HB 1538 Fire protection bv do
mestic water supply corporations.
HmaoB uu ana gas weiis.
HB 1399 Local health boards.
HB1720 Federal surplus food.
By the House
HBU31 Education foundation
grants.
HB1SB9 Special road districts,
HB1887 Rural fire districts.
HB1703 Collection agencies.
HB 1732 Milk price controls.
HB17S7 Consent to drunken
driving testa.
HB 175 8 Small woodlet timber
tax leveling.
SB63 Legal instruments.
SRI 02 Corporation excise taxes.
SB173 Removal of material from
riverbeds.
SB177 Public roads.
SB2SO Liana of mechanics,
SB290 Fishing licenses.
8 B300 Bankruptcy.
8B307 Motor vehicle registra
tion.
SBJOa Domestic relations,
Measures approved Tuesday!
By the tenati
SB435 Death investigations.
SB240 Teachen' retirement.
SB 2 3 Maximum vehicle speeds.
SB448 Relating to highways.
SB591 Rogue River coordina
tion board.
HCR8 Condolences on death of
Karl R. Fisher.
HCR8 Appreciation to Salem
ministerial association.
hubs Relating to criminal
actions.
Bills Approved By Legislature
Salem (UPI) Meaiurw an-1
Decision Expected on Recommendation of
Site for Proposed $2.5 Million Building
Br GREG NOKES
Mail Tribune Staff Writer
The Medford city council Is
.hculiileH fn rnHF Itjt lonB-
awaited decision tomorrow
night on a recommended site
for a proposed S2Vi million
fcHnral hulldinff. and on its
decision could well hinge the
success or failure of a 30-year-
old plan for a Meaiora civic
center.
The plan has never been
closer to realization than it
tnrinv hut at the same time.
never has it been more In
jeopardy. And all because of
the federal building.
A civic center is, essential
ly, an-area that has been set
aside within a city for the lo
cation of all related city,
county, state and federal
buildings. The buildings are
nam v rnnsirucieu uvci a
period of years, but all accord
ing to a plan wnicn uuegraics
them both geographically and
architecturally.
Courthouse in Plan
irk Mfv nf Medford has a
civic center plan which dates
back to 1931 when u was pro
posed as part of a generalized
Measures Signed
By Gov. Hatfield
Salem -UPD- Signed by the
governor Tuesday:
HmiM - Increases salaries
of-governor, secretary of state,
state treasurer, attorney gen
eral, superintendent of public
instruction and labor com
missioner. SB3T - State investments.
SR140 - Barberry and other
plants declared a public nui
sance. -
SB259-County officers.
SB28S-Hospital districts.
SB314-Local budget law.
SB396-Savings and loan as
sociation!.
SB399-Ostenpathy.
SB403-Mediclne and surg
ery.
SB484-Plumblng and cess
nool work.
SB486 - Appropriation of
surface waters.
SB533-Motor carriers.
H 1189 Poisonous foods.
HB 1427 Rela tins- to school dist
ricts.
HB1437 Relating to appraisers.
HB1479 Use of guru by persons
16 or younger.
HB1805 Wage claims.
HB1642 Relating to atata fi
nances. HB 1645 Local budget proce
dures. HB 18(18 Mining claims.
HB 1687 Assessment and taxa
tion. HB1723 Relating to school dist
ricts. HB1731 Salaries for circuit
court' judges and supreme court
justices.
By the House
HB2009, 2066. 3087, 2093 Budg
et tor neaitn, eaucauon, nigner
education and welfare.
HB1119 Public contracts,
HB 1208 Pesticides.
HB1217 Relating to education
department.
HB1404 Fire protection districts
HB1415 Compensation for court
appoiniea attorneys.
HB1477 P a c 1 f 1 e International
Livestock Exposition.
HB1562 Medio are for the
elderly.
MB13HU Relating to police
train in.
H1682 B4 million
bonds
for
Highway 107.
HB1688 Interjdvemmental
CO
operation.
HBi727Forest protection tax.
HB 1 729 Municipal airport de
velopment. HB1733 Safety be)ts for ve
hicles. HB1746 Plant daman research.
HB1749 Financial administra
tion.
SJR38 -Lighting fixtures for leg
islature. SB31 5 Education of mentally
retarded children.
SB320 Certain fuel tax refunds.
SB344 Relating to financial re
sponsibility, SB3 60 Motor carriers.
SB368 Land surveying.
SB464 Claims.
SB466 Law library fees in
counties.
c:rx2 the
DENTAL
D00TU00ERI'
Unscrupulous technicians can
five you bargain-basement
prices and a lifetime of trouble.
Charles H. Patton. D.D.S.,
President of the American Den
tal Asiociation, warns of these
dental bootleKKen who perform
inferior dental work Read his
special Family Weekly report.
May 7th Issue
"Weelcly
with your
Medford
Mail
Tribune
land-use plan for the city. The
existing Jackson county court
house was built in accordance
with this plan when the coun
ty seat vas moved from Jack
sonville to Medford in 193.
The plan lay largely inac
tive through the years, due in
part to the fact that no large
civic or public buildings have
been erected in the city since
then. .
Last spring, when it was
first known that a $2Vi mil
lion federal building was pro
posed for Medford, the city
planning commission in order
to recommend a site for the
building heartily endorsed the
1931 plan, made some minor
modifications, and proposed
to the city council that it be
officially adopted.
Action Delayed
That was in May, 1960.
When the recommendation
came before the council, that
body elected to delay action
on the matter for one month,
ostensibly to determine the
effect of the plan on property
values in the proposed civic
center area.
The council is apparently
still determining these effects,
since no action has been taken
since then.
The one thing that can
make or break the civic cen
ter right now is the federal
building. The federal govern
ment is reportedly consider
ing two sites for the building
one in the civic center area,
and the other south of 10th
st. between Central and River
side aves.
Deciding Factor .
The council's choice be
tween the two could well be
the deciding factor in the fed
eral government's decision.
The council could conceivably
recommend a third site, or no
SPECIAL PURCHASE
Saran
Plastic
Auto
Seat
Covers
with fun
leatherette
trim
Save over 20
PRICES REDUCED ON ALL CLEAR PLASTIC COVERS
site at all, but this would not
appear likely.
The federal building is Im
portant to the civic center
plan because it Is the first of
several public buildings that
are proposed for Medford
within a few years. The others
would be a state office build
ing and a new city hall.
Even without the federal
building, the civic center
could at first glance still be a
partial success as the location
for city, county and state
buildings.
Good Indication i
However, if the council falls
to recommend the civic center
as the site for the federal
building, it would be a good
indication that it has no con
fidence in a civic center as
such, and future planning for
other buildings there would
appear futile.
The civic center proposal
received a blow several
months ago when the general
services administration an
nounced that it was leaning
toward the 10th st. site for
the federal building. How
ever, recent developments
have prompted the GSA to
look twice at the site, and sev
eral persons, including Plan
ning Commission President
Jack Bdson, have said that
quick action on the part of the
city could possibly Induce the
government to change its
mind.
Accordingly, the planning
commission shot off a resolu
tion to the GSA and to Ore
gon's Congressional delega
tion, recommending that the
building be located in the civ
ic center. The comntission was
joined a week later by the
Medford Chamber of Com
merce, . which also recom
mended the civic center site,
and thereby indirectly en
AUTO INTERIOR SPECIALISTS SINCE 1917
One-stop Servkel Everything far auto Interior! In luges'
by eiperta! AUTO SEAT COVERS TOPS CARPETS
SAFETY BELTS HCAOLINCRS DOM PANELS
CUSHIONS.
n w
h E
SURE -FIT QMUTY
on Dura-Loon Covers
FULL SET, INSTALLED
Cooloet Buy In Town I
Full Sets - Includes snug, tailored installation
WW2T
(DCKNMNO ON MAKE OF CAPO
let the beauty of your
Complete selection available for all
COMPLETE BOAT INTERIORS
AUTO INTERIOR SPECIALISTS
Open 8 to 6 MON. THRU SAT.
Menday-Frlday Nlghtt Till :00
So. Central at 12th
SPring 3-6450
dorsed the civic center Itself.
The commission asked the
city council at its April 22
meeting to send a similar rec
ommendation because the
council's action would carry
more weight. But, the council
balked at this and elected to
postpone its decision for two
weeks. Two weeks will be up
tomorrow -night.
The council haa been at
odds with the planning com.
mission over certain aspects of
the civic center proposal, and,
on several occasions, one or
two councilmen have publicly
criticized the planning com.
mission for its seemingly uni.
lateral action' in recommend
ing a site In the civic center
for the federal building.
On the other hand, the com.
mission has said publicly that
it believes it hat a right to
recommend that the federal
building be located in the cen
ter because it is charged by
the council itself, "with tie
primary responsibility for
planning and orderly develop,
ment of land use within the
boundaries of the city . . ."
Privately, several members
of the planning commission
have said that if they don't
bring the civic center propoj.
al to a head, then no one will.
THE
DANMOORE '
HOTEL
1217 SW. Morriien St.
PORTLAND, OREGON
All rriniltnt f utiti. All thm whe
come, return. Rarei not high, net
lew. free (Sraaa, TV's sitf (idles.
Reparation toi cleanliness..
Children Under
Seven No Charge
HY PAY MORE?
YERE24.95
N0W1 ift.88
19
CAM
You Save S.07
FULL SET
n INSTALLED
fttmiom quality! DouWe-stitched
construction. Drive in now for best
selection of colors. Balboa styling.
Convertible
T9p Special
88
aV4CtVtit$ (WW
window wd Mlofotf toh 1
stalUtiof..fl.ateiMdtl
construction add 15.001
upholstery show through.
cars, Including compacts.
Ditil