Eugene City Government Picks a Developer for Downtown

Members of the Eugene City Council voted to work with a Portland based developer this week in their project to rejuvenate downtown. They plan to add "more than one million square feet of new development consisting of retail, housing, cinema, a grocery store, a hotel and parking." I think this is a mistake. I don't think final numbers have been proposed but the project will cost the city millions and in the end I don't think it will work.

The commision seems dead set on turning downtown Eugene into a smaller version of NW 23rd in Portland. But Eugene doesn't have the economy or the will to support their plans. The project to bring Whole Foods in was controversial to begin with and eventually fizzled when Whole Foods became aware of the opposition they were up against. Contrary to what the commission believes downtown is not a dead spot. There's the weekly Saturday Market, the Hult Center, McDonald Theatre, WOW Hall, the Library, a number of small restaurant, bars and cafes. There's also a thriving art scene which benefits from the area's low lease rates. If development plans continue not only are many of the last remaining historical building in downtown going to be demolished but the few businesses and arts organizations that breathe life into the area today would likely be pushed out by increases in rent.

While our downtown isn't as polished as in parts of Portland it's rough edges don't mean that its dead. Artists usually flock to areas where they can live and find studio space cheaply. If the city commission wants the city to live up to its claim as "the world's greatest city for the arts and outdoors" it should consider the impact the development they're planning will have on our creative community.