Council high on downtown ideas.

Byline: Edward Russo The Register-Guard

Condos. A four-screen movie theater. Restaurants. A grocery store. Even a 24-hour newsstand.

The Eugene City Council on Wednesday liked all of those ideas and more for revitalizing two blocks in the heart of downtown.

Councilors voted 6-2 to accept the recommendations of the West Broadway Advisory Committee, which could influence a yet-to-be-reached deal between two Portland developers and the city to build on two blocks of West Broadway, between Willamette and Charnelton streets.

Six of the eight councilors and Mayor Kitty Piercy praised the committee's work, which culminated in 123 recommendations on everything from the type of businesses that should be in the development, to their design, public space, parking and ways to help existing businesses that would be displaced by the project.

West Broadway Advisory Committee co-chairman Greg Mc<302>Lauchlan told councilors that the group's ideas are based on a vision of a "dense, multiple-use area."

Broadway would be transformed into "a highly energetic neighborhood that has things going on day and night," he said.

The council is scheduled to discuss the committee's recommendations in more detail next Monday.

If some or all of the ideas are embraced by the council, they could influence the yet-to-be written re<302>development agreement between the developers and the city.

McLauchlan said committee members took the concepts from the two Portland developers tentatively selected by the City Council to redevelop West Broadway and modified them to reflect a Eugene sensibility.

One of the developers, KWG Development Partners, for example, initially had proposed a 12-screen art film-style movie theater and a 50,000-square-foot grocery store.

Committee members instead recommended a four-screen theater, partly so it wouldn't hurt the Bijou Theater, which is not far from downtown.

They also suggested a smaller, 25,000-square-foot, neighborhood-style grocery store.

The big cinema and grocery store would have required large amounts of parking, which the committee opposed, he said.

The area should primarily be a pedestrian-, bicycle- and mass transit-oriented district, McLauchlan said.

However, 500 parking spaces in garages "embedded in buildings" so they are hidden from the street or underground still could be needed, he said.

The committee presented its report seven weeks before Eugene voters are to decide on a proposal to give the City Council, acting as the city's urban renewal agency, authority to spend up to $40 million downtown during the next quarter century.

The 11-member citizens committee met nine times during 2 1/2 months, including two well-attended public workshops, and heard or received comments from hundreds of residents.

"I have never seen anything like this before," said Councilor George Poling. "I'm extremely impressed and glad about the way it was done."

As in prior council meetings on the subject, a debate broke out among a six-councilor majority and councilors Betty Taylor and Bonny Bettman.

The two councilors oppose the concept by KWG Development Partners and they object to the council's financing plan.

"The election on Nov. 6 will tell us whether the public really support this project," Taylor said.

Taylor and Bettman said the committee produced some good ideas, but they voted against accepting the report.

They questioned whether the discussion ran afoul of the prohibition on using council meetings or staff time to discuss ballot measures.

City Attorney Glenn Klein told councilors that they could discuss the committee's recommendations because they weren't directly related to the financing proposal on the ballot.

Bettman said the project could cost the city more than $40 million if other city funds and tax breaks are counted.

Even if voters approve the financing, Bettman said, the developers could ask for more financial help.

In that case, the project's proponents could seek to increase the urban renewal district's spending limit by $150 million, she said.

"It will be no-holds barred," she said.

Councilor Alan Zelenka, who crafted the proposal to appoint the West Broadway Advisory Committee, said he is "mystified" by opponents who object to city subsidies for downtown redevelopment.

If redevelopment was possible without subsidies, it would have happened during the last 20 years, "but it didn't," he said.

"There is no magic dust to sprinkle on downtown," Zelenka added.

Zelenka said he will use the committee's ideas to make proposals to the council on Monday.

His proposals will make some of the recommendations "a little stronger and a little bit more clear," he said.

WEST BROADWAY RECOMMENDATIONS

The Eugene City Council on Wednesday accepted the final report from an 11-member residents committee who spent the summer thinking about redeveloping West Broadway. A sampling:

Mix of uses: Provide a broad mix of housing and maximum retail coverage on ground floors. Provide unique entertainment, cultural and retail uses not found in regional malls. Provide opportunities for local businesses.

Parking: Maximize use of existing structured parking. Increase on-street parking.

Open space: Focus on great sidewalks as primary public open space. Provide public open space across from library.

Design: Maintain active building facades, especially on Broadway and Willamette Street. Maintain adequate light at ground level. Provide awnings or canopies for weather protection and design enhancement. Reinforce Eugene history and local design.

Existing business transition: Use a third-party relocation specialist. Use city economic development programs to help with relocation. Include language in developer agreements that provides opportunities for local businesses to be part of new development.