Rustic Place gets 49 condos.

Byline: REAL ESTATE By Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard

For decades, Rustic Place lived up to its name, a quiet hideaway of cozy ranch-style homes tucked away just east of Coburg Road in the Oakway district.

These days, though, the street bursts with new sophistication, in the form of a nearly completed 49-unit upscale condominium project, Terraces at the Pavilion.

Workers are swarming over the $10.5 million development now, painting, landscaping, decorating and otherwise readying new homes for a projected move-in date of late February or early March.

Patti Burke, broker with John L. Scott Real Estate and agent for the project, said 17 units already have been reserved and interest overall in the condos has been brisk.

The 13 one-bedroom units sell for about $190,000. The two-bedroom units, which are available in several floor plans as townhouses or flats, vary from about $255,000 to just less than $300,000.

"The condo market in this area is excellent," Burke said. "Other than The Tate (development), Eugene hasn't had any new condominium developments in a long time. There have been quite a few conversions from apartments, but not buildings built specifically as condos."

Although the market for condominiums has slowed in some areas of the country, the National Association of Home Builders said last week that doom-and-gloom predictions for the condo market "are greatly exaggerated."

Developer Bill Donges, who builds condos throughout the country, said condominiums "won't go away, because people like them."

"Today's buyers want to live close to work, transportation, entertainment and retail," Donges said. "A great location, a distinct product and a good price point for your market are critical to a condominium community's success."

Located near one of Eugene's busiest commercial districts, Terraces at the Pavilion seems to attract "people who are downsizing, who travel a lot, who want second homes or don't have the time or desire to do yard work," as well as young professionals who want the kind of upscale finishes the condos offer, Burke said.

Designed by TBG Architects & Planners in Eugene, the units have 9-foot ceilings, oversized windows, large walk-in closets, single-car garages and gas appliances.

Beverly Stonecypher handled the interior design, with compressed bamboo floors, granite countertops and a choice of earth-tone color palettes.

The Pavilion has three buildings with a triangular terrace in the center, Bennett said. One of the structures, three stories tall, has an elevator, "which we thought was important to make it more accessible," she said.

Although not seeking "green" certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the development contains as many sustainable building practices - such as bamboo floors, marmoleum bathroom flooring, natural light and energy efficiency - as possible, Bennett said.

"It's a fairly dense project, but we feel it fits into the neighborhood very well," said Sarah Bennett, a principal in Bennett Management Company and daughter of its founder, Rob Bennett. "Our goal was to provide above-average quality, but we also wanted to fit into the neighborhood and offer homes at an affordable price.

`We feel really good that we've had no 'pushback' from the neighbors."

Bennett Management developed the Pavilion condos in conjunction with majority owner Rosaria Haugland, who also developed adjacent Pavilion commercial enclave that includes Ben & Jerry's, Baja Fresh, Full City Coffee, Washington Mutual Bank and the Wags! Dog Emporium.