06/16/1986 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Schwartz said the project will supply downtown Eugene with a modernized, e designated shopping area. He said the new street lights will be perceived as providing additional security. He said merchandising and shopping will be upgraded, and the mall will probably attract new businesses. He di scussed proposed changes to The Bon and the Johnson's Furniture and Eugene Athletic properties and leveraging public funds with private funds for street lights on Broadway. Mayor Obie opened the public hearing. Ellen Rubenstein, 2300 Parkside Lane, is a member of the Centralized Retail Management Committee. She said the proposed changes to the Broadway corridor should be made soon because they will change the look, the ambiance, and the feel of the downtown. She said many businesses are considering locating in the downtown and an improved "tenant mix" is needed. She emphasized that the obstacles and the restrooms in the center of the mall should be moved and said new lighting is critical. She said restrooms are available elsewhere. Roger Neustadter, 1690 McLean, is a member of the Downtown Commission and is a downtown retailer. He supports the proposed changes. He said the downtown has had a declining share of the retail market in Lane County recently. To reverse the trend, he said new customers and new businesses must be attracted. He said the retail area seems to be a park to many people and provides too many obstacles for retailing. He said bunker-type restrooms and playgrounds with deep indentations are not appropriate for a retail street. He said the improvements should be completed before the Eugene Celebration. e Bill Combs~ 500 Fair Oaks Drive, ;s a downtown retailer and property owner. He said the proposed changes will result in improved retailing in the down- town. He said other shopping centers have been improved and new ones have been opened while retailing in the downtown has not been competitive. He said the size of the playground should be reduced and the restrooms should be accessible but they should not be the focal point of the mall. He said the downtown should be an urban center. Navarre B. Davis, 2112 Brookhaven Way, said the proposed changes will improve the downtown business and pedestrian environment. He said the project is realistic and well-planned. Diane Hendricks, 44 West Broadway, owns Four Seasons, which is near the postal station and restrooms. She said the City should not wait until next year to relocate the postal station and restrooms. She said they should not be the focal point of the mall, and they should be supervised. She said they are not aesthetically pleasing and obstruct the view through the mall. She said the core of the mall should be well-lighted. She is pleased with the proposed changes. James Ivory~ 1329 Hammock, favored the proposed improvements. He said the restrooms on the mall should be relocated and the other improvements should be completed this year. He said the changes will result in a clean, well- lighted, and secure environment and will create a unified downtown community e MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 16, 1986 Page 4 -- -