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A Vision for Eugene's i:uture Civic Center In Janua~', 2004, the Mayor appointed an ad-hoc Fi,s'ion into a framework for public and private citizens' ~Civic Facilities Visioning Committee" to decisions affecting downtown in the future, as well develop a coordinated vision of civic building and as building on other previous plans and studies. infrastructure needs downtown, and to recommend During this same time period, the City Council to the Council how to implement that vision. The adopted an overall financial strategy and imple- Civic Facilities Visioning Committee's members mentation plan ~br replacing City Hall and other include representatives of a broad range of public downtown City office space with new buildings agencies and private interests. The goal was to as part of a longer-term plan for City downtown have recommendations from the Committee to the office space. Council by June, 2004. This very aggressive time line allowed only four months ~br the Commit- tee to reach consensus on a long-term vision for Eugene's Civic Center. The first of four meetings of the Committee was held in February, 2004. In forming the Committee, Mayor Torrey noted that as the Ci~' embarks on a multi-year process to eventually replace Ci~, Hall, it is extremely important that the needs and plans of other public agencies be incorporated in the planning process. The potential for creating a civic center contain- ing nmltiple agencies that could serve the entire conmmnity gave the Committee broad latitude to explore all elements ora vision for civic develop- ment in Downtown Eugene. In January, 2004, the City of Eugene and the Southwest Oregon Chapter of the American Insti- The Mayor's Civic Facilities Visioning Committee tute of Arehitects sponsored a well-attended Civic has melded ongoing efforts to plan for future City Center Design Charette that was coordinated by WBGS Architecture and Planning, PC. One major buildings with the development ora more com- prehensive vision for Eugene's future civic center, conclusion of the Charette is that the location of These earlier or ongoing efforts include the 2001 a new Civic Center and improvements to existing Fision./br Greater Downtown Eugene that pro- public buildings has great potential for creating a moted downtown as a thriving, active urban center welcoming heart for Eugene. with ties to our rich natural heritage; a variety of intermingled activities; and safe, inviting streets. The consensus of the Charette's design teams was The updated Eugene Downtown Plan, adopted by to locate the Civic Center in the central Downtown City Council in April 2004, incorporated the 2001 area, in and around the existing CiB~ Hall and Park Blocks. Most teams in the Charette assumed that Civic Visioning Committee - Report and Recommendations June 2004 Page 3