Agenda Packet 3-11-19 Work Session

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March 11, 2019, Work Session – Item 2 Last year, the City officially took ownership of the Riverfront Park site from EWEB and finalized the concept design for the Riverfront Park. Key design features include: • Extensive riparian habitat enhancement; • Construction of a new shared-use riverbank path as a multi-modal pathway separating wheeled and pedestrian path users; • Viewpoints reaching out over the river bank providing views up and down the river as it bends north; • Integrated interpretive elements addressing themes of energy, ecology, industry and culture on the site; • Vibrant landscape design and native planting landscapes; • Public art, including a pavilion that is both art and a setting for various artforms; and • Site lighting, benches and other park furniture. In order to effectively meet the schedule for park opening by 2021, project construction has been broken into two phases, both of which will be completed before the park opens. The first phase concentrates on riparian enhancements and moving of utilities away from the river bank; the second phase follows with construction of all new riverfront park amenities listed above. Construction of the adjacent one-acre Downtown Riverfront Park Plaza will follow construction of the linear park. The concept design for the park is in Attachment C. More information can be found at the Downtown Riverfront Park website (https://www.eugene-or.gov/3917/Downtown-Riverfront-Park). The estimated construction budget for the Riverfront Park is $14 million. The draft FY 2020 – 2025 Capital Improvement Program as recommended by the Budget Committee includes $5.5 million funding secured from a combination of Parks SDCs, Transportation SDCs, the 2018 Parks and Recreation Bond, and the 2017 Street Bond in the first two years to fund the park improvement plan. An additional $3.5 million was previously appropriated for this project. The Riverfront Park has a $5 million gap. Riverfront Park Plaza (one acre) The Riverfront Park Plaza project will develop the one-acre upland portion of the Downtown Riverfront Park open space into an urban riverfront park amenity. Preliminary features include an interactive fountain, nature playground, viewing hill and open plaza space for programmed events. This project is anticipated to be constructed following development of the adjacent 3-acre Downtown Riverfront Park project. The draft FY 2020 – 2025 Capital Improvement Program as recommended by the Budget Committee includes $3 million in initial funding identified from Riverfront Urban Renewal in the second year. The FY20 Unfunded Needs Assessment will include an initial $1 million. This will reserve a total of $4 million, including an estimated LID cost for the Plaza. Staff will return to City Council/Agency Board with more details on Plaza design and cost once they are known. C. Future Projects Adaptive Reuse of the Steam Plant: The Steam Plant was constructed in phases between 1931 and 1950 to house steam boilers and turbines. The multi-story masonry and steel-framed