This has been fantastic, and has discouraged graffiti “artists” from polluting sidewalks and signs in parks. It has also impacted Eugene citizens’ perception of their city, and city leadership. Temporarily at least.

All for $200k. I encourage the City of Eugene to make this type of cleanup a long term commitment. Part of a long term plan to renew the city. For all the millions being spent on wooded acreage that the elite 5% of the city uses (and a good thing it’s not all residents, or it would fall to ruin), the city could take a small % of those city/county/state $ each year and maintain the resources closest to residents.

Thank you Olympic Committee and the State of Oregon!

Spooky! I’m not a drug buyer or seller, yelling obscenities at strangers, mentally ill, or running from the law or my family, so…I don’t really fit in.

I want to fit in, but I think I’m just too nice. I don’t yell obscenities unless it’s at my cats.

Another thing I’ve discovered..I think these people don’t like scrabble!

Hmm, I don’t see the law anywhere. I heard that they’re afraid of being sued and socially flogged by a fringe political group being financed by an anarchist named “bob”..

..ah well. Heading back now to hide in my pillow for another night…

Maybe I’ll draft a letter;

“Oh city leaders…can’t we do better? or are we really just animals inside? Is ‘embracing diversity’ another way of saying I can never be special to you?? One more night and I’m packing my bags and leaving you for good. It’s not you, it’s me. I’m sorry.”

McKay Investment Company has done a very good job of revitalizing an area that could have easily turned into one big ugly strip mall. Over the past 15 years they have consistently set the bar high through clever deal-making, and by poaching potential merchants from 5th St and elsewhere.

If only the City Council or Mayor could strike those kinds of deals on behalf of Downtown Eugene, the downtown city streets might have more to offer.

It’s the BREW part II! Tonight…

Still confused about exactly what we did and didn’t vote for?! We are too!

Come to the BrewHaHa!

What happens next with Eugene’s downtown?

Hosted by Bus Project of Lane Co and Eugene Weekly

Date: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: Davis’ Restaurant
94 w. broadway.

A monthly non-partisan, interactive, in your face political slam.

This month:
Since measure 20-134 was shot down, many community members have been wondering what’s next for the downtown pits.

Our October downtown debate pulled in more than 90 attendees.

This month we are not looking to have as much of a debate on the issue, but to instead have a community discussion on the next steps. We’ll be inviting 5-6 panelists in the hopes that they can shed some light on the project ahead.

Speaker invites include developers, local architects, U of O Professors, and possibly even a student who has been following the issue.

So come on down to DOWNTOWN and VOICE your opinion over a few PINTS!

When you vote in the poll below make sure you vote for what you believe the outcome of measure 20-134 to be, not what you want the outcome to be. There is a difference.

May the masses demonstrate both wisdom and competency!

I am guest blogging on Eugene-Real-Estate to let you know about the upcoming “BREWHAHA” happening downtown next Tuesday. Get ready for a lively debate over the two land use measures on the ballot:

Measure 20-134: Downtown Urban Renewal Plan

Panelists: Mayor Kitty Piercy and City Council member Bonnie Bettman

Measure 49: Land use measure to fix 37

Panelists: Ashley Miller from “Yes on 49” and Matthew Green-Hite from “Fix Measure 49″

Come on down, enjoy a nice refreshing beverage and hear both sides to make your own decisions.

What’s most interesting to those who follow the local real estate market and home listings, is how Eugene is both resilient to the national housing slump and changing almost monthly:

• Sub-prime lending in Eugene does not compare with the level of sub-prime lending that took place in larger, more exposed and inflationary markets. The vast majority of Eugene homeowners have been conservative about their borrowing, and local lenders conservative about who gets the money.
• The City is finally doing something about downtown – a complete renovation of West Broadway.
• The City is getting serious about the need for another large hospital to handle population growth.
• Phil Knight just donated $100 Million for a new basketball stadium.
• The airport is getting another runway.
• Eugene will host the summer Olympic Trials next year.
• Pottery Barn is opening in the North. There will soon be a new REI in the South. PF Changs opened this year as well.

When you live here it’s easy to take these changes for granted, but the way all of these developments have arrived at once says something about where Eugene is headed. Opportunity and change are happening right in front of us. Both elements are needed to ensure a vital real estate market, and a strong local economy.

As usual, the Bettman-Taylor bureaucracy attempted to put a stop to any sort of progress when it comes to attacking the problems facing the urban renewal district downtown. Instead of debating the issue of what happens to the BEDI funds if the City DOESN’T allocate them to a project that purchases the pits downtown (use it or lose it?), this hearing became a debate about whether the KWG-Beam development is good for Eugene.

The term “obstructionist” came up a lot, moreso from both Bettman and Taylor in defending their positions that little development and no bold investment is better than a KWG-Beam plan.

Another complaint levied by Bettman and Taylor; that the debate is being stymied and manipulated by the City Manager’s office. Bettman implied this several times without actually saying it in a way that the City Manager could assertively challenge it.

Counselor Clark helped bring to light what should have been obvious to many who attended – that while tens of thousands of postcards were sent out by the planning and development office, only 22 citizens arrived at the hearing to debate the future of downtown. The public debate wasn’t being squelched by the City Manager’s office, on the contrary, it was being squelched by a great many people in Eugene who could care less about the future of downtown Eugene.

Bettman, to her credit, is very effective about holding the purse strings tight and staff accountable. I believe though that for her style of politics to work there needs to be stronger leadership from either the Mayor or other counselors to ensure that people who get things done for this city aren’t constantly put on the defensive. These are the only people who seem to want to accomplish big things for downtown Eugene. Also, somebody or some group needs to hold the counsel to the same standards of communication and leadership that Bettman demands of the city departments and manager.

The best part of the evening was when “Trix” did his usual standup routine about jumping into the pits and coming together for a great downtown. If he’s lucky he might become our next mayor..he sets his sites high every time he shows up, and delivers!

To see Trix in action, along the rest of the comments, you can watch the video here.

If you are a Eugene resident or involved in Eugene real estate I highly encourage you to get involved in this process. Downtown real estate may change forever in the coming 2-3 years.

As discussed on this blog earlier in the year, the City has several million in Federal grants to draw from in order to secure funding for downtown development. This amendment would use some of those funds, as well as increase the cap on public indebtedness to finance the urban renewal plan to $73M from $33M.

This link shows the latest changes to the draft plan.

The challenge will be in how we ensure that the funds are well spent. To estimate costs, I went back to last year’s Parks and Rec bond measure and did some rough math. That measure costs the “median” homeowner about $60/year. That measure totaled $25.3M, mostly for park acquisition. Any measure designed to raise funds for downtown would need to mimic this, or at least prove in advance to the voters that the city will execute the plan effectively.

It’s one thing to raise money for parks, when the original parks bill was able to prove itself through tangible improvements in quality of life as well as a fancy new library. It’s another to raise money for a downtown that is caught between various interest groups, land owners, and developers. Somebody in the city needs to take charge of the situation in a way that brings everyone to the table, forcing them each to compromise without giving up too much. Strong leadership is needed here.

If the leadership exists to bring these groups to some sort of compromise, and people complain because they have been forced to compromise, so be it. People will always complain, especially in Eugene where there seem to be hordes of professional complainers (like this blogger? . What’s important is that ten years from now, after floundering about w/o a real plan since 1968, we can look back and say that Eugene did something new and great with downtown. If a few people in City government can take credit for bullying the public and interest groups into compromising for something wise, they should jump at the chance. Even if they look like villains to the Eugene Weekly or any other politically powerful interest group.

Well, this is it. Next week the City Council will decide if and what steps will be taken on West Broadway Redevelopment. Those who oppose revitalizing downtown have told their story, now we need to tell ours. Take 5 minutes right now to email and/or call and ask them to vote Yes on the KWG project. If you are so inclined, you may also tell them you are a member of Shop Eugene. More detailed information about Shop Eugene
and the KWG proposal below.

mayorandcc@ci.eugene.or.us 682-5010

And/or send individual emails to the swing votes:

Kitty.Piercy@ci.eugene.or.us 682-5010 (message)

Alan.Zelenka@ci.eugene.or.us 344-5721 (message)

Chris.E.Pryor@ci.eugene.or.us 484-6896 (message)

Andrea.F.Ortiz@ci.eugene.or.us

If you are not currently on the listserv for Shop Eugene, email shopeugene@comcast.net. You will receive updates on what’s happening with downtown development, how you can get involved, and an invitation to a strategic planning gathering.

Shop Eugene’s Purpose

Each year, Eugene residents spend millions of dollars shopping outside of their community. Shop Eugene is a coalition of local people who want to create a thriving downtown with a mix of eateries and local and national retailers that offers an inviting and safe place for individuals and families to shop, see a movie, bump into friends and neighbors, and feel part of our community. Shop Eugene supports Eugene’s incredible array of locally owned businesses such as the members of Unique Eugene and Downtown Eugene Incorporated. We wish to see anchor stores in downtown Eugene such as Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and Nordstrom that will increase the number of local and regional visitors to downtown and help ensure the success of our unique locally owned stores. We support building on the successes of 5th Street Public Market and Oakway Center and envision Eugene joining cities like Portland and Seattle by becoming a regional Shopping destination.

We support a larger, more comprehensive development plan that will help tie both ends of Broadway together and realize our tax dollars may be needed to help make this happen. We are thousands of people who want to shop in Eugene, help create new jobs, and restore downtown to a vital economic engine.

KWG Proposal (covering 3% of downtown)

Redevelop the entire block bounded by Charnelton, Broadway, 10th and Olive, the two half blocks facing Broadway between Olive and Willamette and the properties on Olive at the northwest corner of Broadway to
create an intense “West End” retail/entertainment district with a multiplex theatre, boutique hotel, over 400 housing units and 200,000 feet of retail along Broadway between Charnelton and Willamette. KWG intends to remake West Broadway into a dynamic 24 hour community with restaurants, a multi-screen movie venue, night clubs, a mix of national and local retailers, a large grocer, a high-end hotel, and a dense mix of rental and for sale housing. In essence, these two blocks of Broadway would be recast into downtown Eugene’s entertainment hot spot. The proximity of the proposed entertainment cen ter to the Hult Center, and
other cultural venues in the adjacent blocks creates the opportunity for tremendous energy in the Redevelopment Area. The adjacent Eugene Transit Center and the new EmX rapid transit system provides a convenient link to the West End entertainment hub from all over the Eugene/Springfield metro area.

More detailed information is available at www.eugene-or.gov. Go to Planning, Downtown Planning.