Council hopes public will offer City Hall ideas.Byline: CITY BEAT/EUGENE By Edward Russo The Register-GuardDo you have an opinion about what Eugene should do with its City Hall? If so, city councilors and the mayor want you to get down to the building in question at East Eighth Avenue and Pearl Street on Monday evening so they can hear your thoughts. The City Council has been talking since 1999 about possible replacement of City Hall, which houses city administrative offices, the main police station, municipal court and other city agencies. "We have danced around the issue for some time," City Council President George Poling said. Advancing the discussion is one of the council's priorities for the year, he said. The pillar-supported, 41-year-old City Hall is considered vulnerable to earthquake. The building's layout and offices are considered inefficient and too small. Some city offices are in other downtown buildings, including some where the city pays rent to private landlords. In 2001, the council decided to spend only a minimum maintaining City Hall, with the idea that the building would last only another eight to 10 years. The city has taken some steps to address the building's shortcomings A shortcoming is a character flaw. Shortcomings may also be:
The police department's property and forensics See computer forensics. unit was moved out of the City Hall basement This article is about the section of a building. For the foundation, see Basement rock. A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Slab-on-grade buildings do not have basements. to a new building on North Garfield Street. Voter VOTER. One entitled to a vote; an elector. approval of a bond issue for the fire department allowed firefighters in July to move from City Hall to the new downtown fire station at 13th Avenue and Willamette Street. Now, councilors and the mayor want to know the public's thoughts on such major questions as: Should City Hall be renovated, enlarged or replaced? Where should City Hall be? What city and or other government offices should be in it? How much parking is needed for the building? How should any work be financed? Councilors and the mayor are expected to get studies by the city staff and consulting architects and engineers during the next 2 1/2 years. A possible bond measure to pay for improvements could be presented to voters in November 2008. Monday's council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. City leaders are eager to hear from the public, said Councilor coun·cil·or also coun·cil·lor n. A member of a council, as one convened to advise a governor. See Usage Note at council. coun David Kelly  This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.You can assist by [ editing it] now. . "Over the next five to 10 years, doing nothing is not an option," he said. The building is cramped cramped adj. 1. Uncomfortably small or restricted: cramped living quarters. 2. Difficult to read, especially for being crowded into a small space: cramped handwriting. and inefficient, he said. "If we are to continue to stay in City Hall, there are millions of dollars of rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. that will be necessary," Kelly said. Edward Russo can be reached at 338-2359 or erusso@guardnet.com. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion