10/09/1989 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

e previously stated commitment to open Olive Street to vehicular traffic. She referred those in attendance to the agenda posted in the meeting room, and said the bulk of the meeting time would be spent in discussion. Ms. Ehrman said Olive Street had come up in conjunction with the Library project, and she did not remember the council directing the commission to pursue the opening of Olive Street. Ms. Aspinwall-Lamberts said the original discussion had occurred around the Library project or any development on the 8th Avenue and Willamette Street site. This had occurred not in a joint meeting, but in a council meeting. Ms. Aspinwall-Lamberts said the council had directed Mr. Gleason and Mr. Farkas to meet with the Downtown Commission and have the commission return with a process to address the opening of Olive Street. Ms. Bascom recalled asking the staff not to discuss the problems attached to opening Olive Street, but possible approaches and designs that would make the street work. Ms. Bascom believed that this had occurred prior to the Library project and the request had been supported by the council. Ms. Aspinwall-Lamberts said the commission would not walk through the entire work program, but rather present the background and rationale for the areas included in the plan. There are two primary areas: access and circulation, and downtown management. Ms. Aspinwall-Lamberts said the commission's critical focus continues to be that of access. The commission has not changed its position regarding the opening of Willamette Street and will not discuss this issue tonight due to the ongoing work of the Retail Task Force, a group which is addressing circulation and access as well. Mr. Brown briefly discussed the status of downtown. He noted assessed values e in the downtown from 1986-87 to the current year have declined approximately 13 percent; retail vacancy rates have remained stable, while office vacancy rates have declined. Mr. Brown said Development staff conducted a preliminary survey of the owners and tenants on Olive Street. Twelve favored and twelve opposed the opening of Olive Street. Three opposed already have vehicular access to their property. Rental rates in the area of Broadway and Pearl have shown increases, and demand has risen. Access is a critical issue in the market acceptance enjoyed by these retailers. Mr. Brown noted that redevelopment occurred at 10th Avenue and Willamette Street after the reopening of Willamette Street to vehicular traffic. Mr. Brown said access is extremely critical. Mr. Schwartz discussed the objectives and rationales for opening Dlive Street. These included improvement of access and circulation, triggering of private investment, use of Olive Street as a conduit for vehicular traffic in access downtown, strengthening of the pedestrian environment, establishment of a safe and secure shopping and business environment, and creation of additional opportunities for businesses requiring automobile access. Currently, the City has inadequate private investment, poor and inaccurate perceptions of public security downtown, confusion in accessing downtown locations, stagnant and declining property values (4J district assessed values went up 13 percent while downtown values decreased by 13 percent), declining retail market share, inadequate growth in gross retail sales, a lack of Class "A" office space, and undeveloped sites in downtown locations. e MINUTES--City Council/Downtown Commission-- October 9, 1989 Page 2 Dinner/Work Session