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Hall steps from one stoD.' high at the street to seven The Great Civic Street continues across the Ferry floors on the north side of the block. The taller Street Bridge ramps (Mill St). There is a traffic office portion of the building is a partnership shared light and pedestrian crosswalk connecting down- by the CiB,', Count', LCOG, EWEB, 4J and others, town to the Federal Courthouse district. To our A single stoD.' wing below is a large public meeting left, is the dynamic new Federal Courthouse. The room with direct access from the plaza. Another Courthouse steps face south onto 8th Avenue. The wing contains a public se~wice mall with ci~: and most prominent features of the building are the coun~~ building permit counters, visitor information, three curving forms of courtroom elements rising to public art display, Internet caf6, and other activities, the equivalent of eight stories above the street. 8th Avenue brings us to a new civic open space, Can- Located on the former parking lot across 8th is neD' Square, at the intersection with Ferry St. We the new Communi~, Safety Building, home to the have arrived in the heart of the Courthouse district Eugene Police Department and portions of the near the river. Beyond is the gateway to the river Lane County Sheriff's Office. The CommuniB~ district, made possible by EWEB's relocation of its Safety building is all glass on the ground floor operations to west Eugene and to the new Ci~' Hall. with doors to the street. Within the glass lobby are public serwice portions of Police and Sheriffin All of the buildings in the Civic Center share addition to counters for non-profit agencies such as common features. They have been developed Womenspace, Victims Assistance, and others. The with economic and environmental sustainability building is four stories tall and has secure parking in mind, with flexible floor plans, durable finishes, below for patrol vehicles. As an Essential Facility, energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems, it is designed to be fully operational after disasters photovoltaic panels to provide shading and gener- such as earthquakes and storms. The building ate electricity, and rainwater collection for irriga- appears open and expressive of community polic- tion and flushing of toilets. The fact that the civic ing goals. It is clearly a part of the civic center, street runs east to west allows the civic buildings close to City Hall and Courts. on each side to have large south walls for solar ori- entation and north glazing lbr natural daylighting. Continuing east we come to a new 3-stoD~ public parking garage with a capacity of 360 cars. It is The Civic Center also supports commercial located on the south side of the street east of High. development. It is mixed with other uses, comple- The ground floor facing the street consists of com- menting its proximity to Broadway--the Great mercial space. The garage is a partnership with Commercial Street--just one block to the south. The Shedd and others. During the day it is used This vision of the Civic Center is a master plan for by the public and civic center employees includ- improvements to downtown Eugene accomplished ing those from the new Federal Courthouse across over many years with the pfimao' goal of sup- Mill St. In the evening, it provides parking for porting quality government services and making those attending performances or headed for a night dowmown Eugene a great place. out on the town. Civic Visioning Committee - Report and Recommendations June 2oo4 Page 9