Item A - Civic Center Visioning - Laserfiche WebLink

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sures for special events, can help create 8*~ Avenue Services related to youth could provide support as the public promenade linking the Civic Center for activities and programs in the Civic Center. from Willamette Street to the Courthouse District Currently, day care programs sponsored by public and the river beyond. The use of landscaping agencies arc located on the periphe~.' of down- shade trees and generous sidewalks will enhance town. Relocation of the joint Count'/federal the streetscape, reinforcing the Great Streets con- agency supported day-care operation into the civic cept. An at-grade signalized intersection at 8,t' and center would be supported by both the agencies Mill (i.e. - Franklin Blvd. crossing) will complete and parents. EWEB, which currently operates the connection and provide a gateway into Eugene da5" care services adjacent to its headquarters site, from the Ferry Street Bridge. could be interested in participating in a centralized day-care program to se~e its remaining downtown In terms of retail uses, the Committee agreed that employees ifEWEB operations move to the west the Civic Center would be veo' desirable space due side of Eugene. to traffic during the daytime. Mixed commercial and residential use is possible in the Civic Center, District 4j also sees the potential need for a "store- but the impact on neighboring retailers needs to be front" high school concept for 50-100 students considered. As such, the Committee identified fill- which could fit either with EPD functions or Lane ing current retail space before building new space Community College's downtown campus. There as a priori~,. This has t~vo primaD' design implica- is also some potential for offering da5' school for tions for the vision for the Civic Center. pre-K through early grades serving children of area employees. First, open space has an expensive opportunity cost, in terms of foregone commercial develop- Civic Center 5pace Needs and Phasin[l merit, so the emphasis should be on enhancing Based on the Committee's identification of space existing open spaces and streetscapes, rather than needs, an overall estimate of future public space turning existing developed properties into open requirements was prepared. The potential need for space. Second, the consensus was that the Civic downtown space identified by the different agencies Center vision should make use of the current City included in the scoping effort totaled over 650,000 Hall block. The general feeling is that this block square feet. (Attachment A details agency space is not as promising a location for commercial needs.) This is almost seven times the size of the redevelopment as other areas in Downtown. Con- existing Eugene Ci~' Hall. Adding new construc- currentl>; it was agreed that the relocation of the t/on, including new parking structures, increases the County Elections, ADO and Public Health pro- total space included in the Civic Center vision to grams means that the Elections Building site might approximately 1 million square feet. However, not be available for development compatible with the all of this space would be built at once. larger 5'~ Street/Depot district. The vision for the future Civic Center is a long- term view and the recommendation is for specific