Press Release - June 6, 2005 - Arlie renews offer to purchase EWEB

Arlie & Company announced today that it has contacted Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) with a request to begin negotiations to purchase its Riverfront property. Late last week, Arlie & Company representatives met with EWEB General Manager, Randy Berggren, and presented him with a letter that outlined the offer.

Arlie & Company proposes building a mixed-use development on the EWEB property. To clarify its development ideas, Arlie & Company designed a conceptual plan for the property proving that it is possible to take the elements outlined in the Downtown Plan and successfully apply them to the EWEB property. The next stage in the process would be to take these concepts to the public, find out what public opinion is and from this develop a master plan to be submitted to the City Council.

Arlie & Company offered a price of $29 million, with the following conditions:

• EWEB will retain its current Headquarter building, the steam plant facility and the Credit Union building under a lease agreement.
• Arlie & Company will assist EWEB in taking time to move its operations facilities, by leasing back the pole yard and the substation for $1 each per year for two years.
• EWEB will deliver written confirmation from the City Council at closing that the property can be used as designated in the Eugene Downtown Plan. If this confirmation is not received, the offer price will be $24 million.

The proposed mixed-use development will bring commerce, retail and residences to the downtown neighborhood and in turn produce economic growth for the Eugene Community.

Read Arlie's letter to EWEB (pdf, 308kb)

This plan is based upon the concept of a mixed-use, pedestrian friendly development that incorporates retail goods and services, office space, and housing. It is guided by the ideas embodied in the Eugene Downtown Plan, which was developed and adopted in 2004 by the Eugene city council. This site is a key component of the Eugene Downtown Plan and the ideas in these drawings would help to implement many of the key elements set forth in the Plan.

Great Streets: The Eugene Downtown Plan identifies several “Great Streets”, two of which are central to the ideas embodied in these drawings. Fifth Street would be extended to the east where it would become a public plaza at the edge of the Willamette River (see A on drawing). This extension of Fifth Street could be lined with retail shops and restaurants with offices or loft apartments above them. With the addition of the federal courthouse on Eighth Street, current plans call for extending Eugene’s great “Civic Street” toward the river. As illustrated here, Eighth Street could be further extended toward the river in the form of a public plaza. (see B on drawing). Special Places: The Eugene Downtown Plan identifies the Willamette River, the Millrace, and open spaces along the edge of the river as special places for economic and social interaction. The focus of this proposed site plan is on cultivating and protecting these Special Places for the use and enjoyment of the community. The ‘daylighting’ of the Millrace (see C on drawing) and the creation of a public space along the river are key elements of this approach. Living Downtown: Central to the Eugene Downtown Plan and to these drawings of the EWEB site is the potential to locate a mix of housing within the downtown core. Housing is essential to the vitality and character of a lively urban center. It allows people to work and shop where they live without relying on an automobile for transportation.

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Downtown Riverfront: An active and strong urban connection to the river is the heart of this plan. Extending the Great Streets, enhancing the special places, and providing places for people to live and work along a river with a restored natural edge is essential to the creation of a Downtown Riverfront.

Read the Downtown Plan: www.ci.eugene.or.us/Downtown

History

Just to the east of the Ferry Street overpass and along the edge of the Willamette River lies the industrial and commercial birthplace of Eugene. The land itself is made up of the original donation land claims of our city’s founder, Eugene Skinner, and the city’s first industrialist, Hilyard Shaw. It was Hilyard Shaw who dredged out the slough that we now call the Millrace and it was he who located the first mill along its edge. Many other business and industries were to follow, including the Eugene Woolen Mills, Eugene’s first furniture manufacturer, and Eugene’s first flour mill. It was Hilyard Shaw’s Millrace that created the opportunity for the first industries in the Willamette Valley.

This plan calls for connecting Eugene to its historic roots through the creation of a cultural and historical center at the river’s edge and the reopening of the Millrace to daylight. The careful redevelopment of the EWEB site is an opportunity for Eugene to make a meaningful connection to its past. With this in mind, we believe this is the right place to relocate the Lane County Historical Museum (see D on drawing).

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Return to the River

These drawings illustrate the vision of developing an urban riverfront that enhances and complements an environmentally sustainable river’s edge. It is a design that implements “fish friendly” restoration based on respect for the natural systems of the river while allowing for urban interaction and enjoyment. The aim is to create a real connection that not only allows the community access to one of its most historically significant and beautiful natural areas, but also restores and protects those places.

Sustainability

The vision for a downtown riverfront is one that must endure. And that vision must implement the very best science and design to insure that what is built will sit lightly on the land and complement natural systems. The plan must incorporate the most innovative and effective ways of managing storm water through biofiltration, onsite detention, and groundwater recharge. The daylighted Millrace, in addition to being an amenity to the community, can help to clean and manage storm water. Adaptive reuse of both the steam plant and the EWEB administrative building reduces the strain on our resources and provides a connection to the history of the site. The use of native and drought tolerant plants and landscaping will help to reduce the use of water for irrigation. The redevelopment of a brownfield in the center of town will help to reduce the strain on non-developed land and will turn a tired industrial site into an asset for all of the community.

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The hope for a downtown riverfront in Eugene and the planning of this site must be guided by the community and influenced by its history. Now is the time for the community to come together and create a unified vision for the riverfront. Arlie & Company is interested in hearing your input and ideas.

Email us your ideas @ ewebsite@arlie.com.