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<br />N.Congratulations to Commissioner Wood were extended by other Council members upon Comm
<br />'his election to the Lane County Board of Commissioners in the November 5 election. 11/6/74
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<br />~ O~Court Action, Covenant Park PUD - Council President Williams announced that the city's Comm
<br />,., ~~ction in gr~ntingapproval for the Covenant, Park PUD at 38th and Hilyard was upheld 11/6/74
<br />; ~n court act~on brought by_~~side_nts_ ~~ the area. , " _. _ ... u ,_. ..~ File
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<br />P.IProposed Parking Structure and Transjt Terminal, 8th and Willamette - Frank Shearer"
<br />'chairman of the Eugene Renewal Agency, said the project was being pursued a little
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<br />~ differently than originally proposed and for that reason the Agency wanted to bring the
<br />: Council up to date on present plans. Copies of preliminary design for the proposed /
<br />'parking structure to be. located north of 8th at Willamette and the transit terminal i
<br />and parking structure south of 8th at Willamette were distributed. Don Lutes, architect
<br />for the project, displayed sketches and explained the layout designed to provide parking
<br />for 675 cars in both structures and space for 14 to 16 buses in the south structure, plus
<br />retail space on the ground floors. He described the design elements which would recog-
<br />,nize the scale of buildings on the Willamette, Street side and provide for convertibility,
<br />for shows or exhibitions and long-term if it should be decided to use the structures
<br />,for other purposes. He, explained that the inclusion of "pipe" ventilat~on.. to ~a]{ec.are
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<br />of exhaust fumes was provided when cost factor for mechanical ventilation of the fumes ,
<br />,was considered. He added that the design also included space for U. S. National Bank's :
<br />jdrive-up banking which would be discontinued at its present location east of Willamette.
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<br />~ Councilman McDonald inquired how autos traveling to the structures from the east would
<br />,., be accommodated, how a bottleneck would be avoided at 8th and Oak and along 8th Avenue
<br />,just east of Willamette. Mr. Lutes answered that Willamette would be returned to two-
<br />way movement in that location to provide proper traffic circulation. He added that
<br />traffic counts indicated a considerable amount of unused capacity on 8th Avenue, enough
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<br />: to allow any additional traffic to be absorbed. Al Williams, traffic engineer, said
<br />that about 150 to 200 of the parking spaces planned for the structures would be all-day
<br />,parking. He didn't anticipate any problems considering the double left-turn lane from
<br />rOak onto 8th and present traffic on that street which most of the time was not too heavy.
<br />i Dave Hunt, executive director of ERA, added that with the closure of the U. S. Bank
<br />I drive-up facility traffic would no long~r be entering that area from 7th, also some of
<br />the congestion on 8th would be relieved.
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<br />Councilman Wood asked whether provision for bicycle storage was considered. Mr. Lutes
<br />replied that it was included in the program but location had not yet been resolved.
<br />There would be storage space out of the weather, secured, but no enclosure, and the only
<br />problem was in estimating the amount of space to provide to avoid an adverse effect upon
<br />the retail operations.
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<br />Councilman Hershner asked whether the present parking provided beneath the U. S. Bank
<br />building would remain. He also asked for further clarification with regard to the third-
<br />~ level parking in the structure north of 8th Avenue. Mr. Lutes answered that the parking
<br />~ beneath the U. S. Bank building would be retained but entrance would be from Park Street
<br />,with no entrance from Willamette or the mall area. He eXplained that the pa~king struc-
<br />,ture north of 8th would have three levels of parking on the western portion. The portion
<br />:aiong Willamette would have two levels, that design intended to complement the scale of
<br />[buildings ,across Willamette Street. He went on to explain that the two-level section I
<br />:was designed for convertibility to future office space or could be closed off to provide,
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<br />;space for boat shows, exhibitions, etc. The spa~~ above the transit structure could be II
<br />:converted entirely to office space or some other kind of use. However, he thought that
<br />;with the'deficit of parking in the downtown area that 'possibility was a long time in I
<br />the future. Mr. Hunt added that the space beneath theU. S. Bank building would be used i
<br />. jfor bank parking only and would not be open to the. general public. i
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<br />IMr. Hunt called attention to a model showing the structures in relation to surrounding I !i
<br />: buildings. He said the Agency wanted to start construction of the facilities as soon as
<br />:,possible. Financing would depend upon development of the hotel to the north. The Agency I
<br />'would be borrowing enough money to carry the project until ,development of the hotel _ I
<br />and accompanying tax flow from increased property values - would provide enough revenues ,
<br />to amortize the debt. Charts showing proposed phasing of the project were distributed
<br />indicating temporary parking spaces to be available during construction of both facilities.
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<br />~ jcouncilman McDonald inquired about the finanCing, whether the city was invoived, and wh~t
<br />.., ! the city's responsibility would be for, any bond obligation. Mr. Hunt explained Oregon
<br />'statutes that gave the renewal agency authority as an entity separate from the city.
<br />iRe said the city would be under no obligation, that rested entirely with ERA. Also that
<br />!the Agency's attorney had advi~ed that the city and the Agency legally were two separate !
<br />~corporate bodies even th6ugh the Agency members were appointed by the Council. :
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<br />11/12/74 - 17
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