A birdseye view of the "west millrace" alternate site for ORI behind the UO physical plant - where the mulch piles now stand. This 2.5 acre site with stunning views of the riverfront and the Coburg Hills easily fits the proposed ORI building plus some of the required parking. An additonal 1.5 acres of parking is available across the millrace and to the east on University Property with easy access to Franklin Boulevard. The building immediately west of the millrace no longer stands.
Alternate Sites Exist for the Proposed ORI building.
The polarizing ORI development north of the Railroad tracks can be avoided. With intense opposition to riverfront development by both citizens of Eugene and the students and faculty of the University of Oregon, it is clearly in the Oregon Research Institute’s best interest to find a suitable alternative site on within the City of Eugene. Despite attempts to acquire vacant lots in the Eugene downtown, the Oregon Research Institute has been unable to find a suitable site outside of university property. Fortunately, potential development sites exist on the University of Oregon campus, south of the railroad tracks within the Riverfront Research Park Plan’s original boundaries that do not lie on the riverfront.
1700 Millrace Drive – A Viable Option
The currently proposed ORI/EPIC project consists of a 76,000 square foot building on 4.3 acres. As mentioned in the recent Register-Guard op-ed, there is a large, flat, developable parcel between between the two existing Research Park buildings that could be used to provide a first-class building for ORI in a non-controversial location. The University has been strangely quiet about this site even though this property (1700 Millrace Drive) is listed as a 3.74 acre developable site on the Research Park’s website and an additional undeveloped parcel of approximately .4 acres designated for parking lies directly across Millrace Drive.
While the website states that the site can accommodate a 50,000-60,000 square foot building, there are no height restrictions placed on this parcel (unlike the riverfront site) so there’s no apparent reason why a larger building could not be built there. In fact, the Master Plan calls for 350,000-500,000 square feet of office space in the “Silva Sector” of the Research Park–but only 110,000 square feet has actually been constructed.
3.74 acre developable parcel between the two existing Research Park Buildings (photo from Riverfront Research Park website)
West Millrace Parcel - Virtual Visit to Another Option
A proposed Millrace site with adequate space - S. of RR tracks.
Another view of proposed Millrace site with adequate space - S. of RR tracks
Only Minimal Modification to Existing Plans Required
The existing plans for development, a 200 by 100-foot single office building could be accommodated at other sites within the riverfront research park. If precious funds have already been spent on building design and engineering, any of the alternate sites would easily absorb such a substantial building. The availability of parking may be another issue, but ConnectingEugene is committed to working with the city planners and city council to find parking for the proposed ORI site on city-owned land should the need arise. Multiple parcels exist within the Research Park that could accommodate parking – not on the riverfront. Notwithstanding, the rapid mass transit EMX runs within a few blocks of all portions of the Riverfront Research Park property, and it may make sense for ORI to make a commitment to utilizing our public transit at this juncture instead of building surface parking lots.
With a footprint of approximately 220 x 100 ft, the ORI building as proposed fits easily onto the West Millrace Site, Part of the original Riverfront Research Park Master Plan. Only minimal modification would be required. Did we mention the stellar views?
Why Tarnish a Stellar Reputation?
The homegrown Oregon Research Institute has it all…almost. They have democratic ideals. They bring in millions in federal research funds to the community. They employ hundreds of people within Oregon, and they provide critical social services to the people of Oregon that can’t be obtained anywhere else. They are a HUGE asset to our community. We enjoy having them in our community.
What the Oregon Research Institute doesn’t have is a building of their own. We understand that ORI would like to be housed under one roof in close proximity to the University campus. We consider this a reasonable desire for an institution of the caliber of the Oregon Research Institute. However, what doesn’t make sense to us is that the Oregon Research Institute desires to build parking lots on our treasured Willamette Riverfront when suitable sites exist south of the railroad tracks. Construction on the University property north of the railroad tracks has been a contentious issue since before the issuance of the permit to build there in 1989, and it is against the public will for this building to be built as the first installment.
Please Consider This
ConnectingEugene strongly urges ORI to find an alternate construction site while the Riverfront Master Plan of 1989 is updated with meaningful public involvement. If ORI continues along its current trajectory to build the first building on the University riverfront, it is likely that they will tarnish their reputation for ever.
