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<br /> <br />EURA <br />UGENE RBAN ENEWAL GENCY <br />AIS <br />GENDA TEM UMMARY <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Work Session: West Broadway Purchase Options <br /> <br /> <br />Meeting Date: November 27, 2006 Agenda Item Number: B <br />Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Mike Sullivan <br />www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5448 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ISSUE STATEMENT <br /> <br /> <br />TheUrban Renewal Agency (URA) has secured purchase options on several downtown properties along <br />West Broadway between Willamette Street and Charnelton Street. These options provide the <br />opportunity to pursue a comprehensive redevelopment strategy for West Broadway. The URA is asked <br />to consider issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for selection of a qualified developer(s) as the <br />next step in implementing this redevelopment strategy. <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />On January 9, 2006, the City Council discussed the Connor and Woolley/Opus development proposal, <br />including tools that the City Manager and staff might use to facilitate the acquisition of property that <br />may be needed for any comprehensive redevelopment of the West Broadway area. The council passed a <br />motion 7:1 to “direct the City Manager to work with Connor and Woolley on developing a more detailed <br />proposal related to West Broadway development to be brought back to the council. This motion in no <br />way endorses the concept of the proposal.” The City Manager understood from the discussion and <br />action that everything short of condemnation should be pursued in order to assist in the redevelopment <br />of the West Broadway area. <br /> <br />At the end of April 2006, Connor and Woolley/Opus announced that the West Broadway proposal was <br />no longer viable, primarily because they were unable to acquire the property needed for the development <br />envisioned. Following the announcement, staff began exploring ways the City could assist in <br />assembling land for the potential redevelopment, including the possibility of acquiring purchase options <br />on the properties in this two-block area of downtown, with the intention of bringing the purchase <br />options, once acquired, to the URA for direction. The URA entered into a contractual agreement with <br />real estate professional John Brown of Evans, Elder & Brown to begin pursuing purchase options on the <br />properties. <br /> <br />The two-block area on both sides of Broadway includes 12 different property owners. All of the <br />property owners, including Connor and Woolley, have received offers from the URA. Most of these <br />offers have gone through a series of negotiations and counter offers. The URA has acquired options <br />from six of the property owners located in this two-block redevelopment footprint along West Broadway <br />(including Connor and Woolley for three of the properties they own along West Broadway). <br />Negotiations with three additional property owners should be finalized in the near future. The URA has <br />secured purchase options on properties that include a bulk of the properties along three full block faces <br />on West Broadway, including the north and south sides of the block between Willamette Street and <br />Olive Street, and the south side of the block between Olive Street and Charnelton Street. <br /> L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M061127\S061127B.doc <br /> <br />