Rights and Blights

Participants of the Design Workshop discussed a number of "things gone right" and "things gone wrong" in Downtown Eugene. The following list of "Rights and Blights" is a condensed version of the top ten issues in each category.

Rights:
1) Transit Station, & Alternative Transit
2) Library
3) Art Culture
4) Residential Development
5) Unique Mixed-Use
6) Night Life
7) Youth Gathering / Charter School
8) Trees
9) Potential Connections
10) Lower rent for Nonprofits

Blights:
1) Lack of gathering places
2) Lack of community green space
3) The Pits
4) Empty Buildings
5) Parking (surface lots)
6) Low density development
7) Lack of perceived safety
8) Single-use buildings
9) References to historical context
10) Lack of building/street connection

HOPES 14 Design Charrette

The annual HOPES conference will be conducing its annual 24-hour design Charrette April 17-18. The HOPES Charrette will be considering many of the same issues as the recent Urban Parks Design Workshop and may be of interest to those involved. For more information, visit the HOPES website at http://hopes.uoregon.edu.

HOPES 14 PRESS RELEASE:
The annual 24-hour charrette at HOPES begins on Thursday at 2:00pm with a presentation of the project to all students, faculty, and community members participating. Participants are divided into teams of four and given a creative brief of collected background information, plans, and other relevant information of the project. Food and coffee are provided for all participants. A library of sustainable techniques and resources will be offered to all teams. The pin-up and review of all teams’ work is the next day from 2pm-4:00pm. Faculty, professionals, and city officials will review and discuss the teams’ proposals.

Design Principles

The Urban Park Design groups came up with a number of guidelines for the proposed downtown Eugene park. The guidelines were then narrowed down to six key issues for consideration. The principles are as follows:

Building Uses

Mixed-use blocks

Housing priority

Living uses (post office, grocery, not just cafes)

Building Heights

2 storey minimum

6 storey maximum (exceptions: situational)

Historic Preservation

Keeping intact buildings

Willamette axis

Open Space/Parks

24-hour occupancy

Green links

Performance areas

Parking

Alleys

Underground

Bike racks and facilities

Affordable

Center block

Accessibility

The grid

Pedestrian

Bike

Materials

Group #5

NOTES:

• use park and build up and out from there

• north of park :
     multi-use area
     could be farmer’s market for all year
     opens up on bottom floor so it flows out into park
     building would step back – 2 storeys in front – 4 storeys
     how much historic value does Washburne building truly have?

• Across Charnelton:
     Offices, voter registration
     Stepping up and back from park

• St Mary’s Church:
     Lease parking – make more utilized
     If church no longer functions, could be redeveloped for civic events

• 11th and Lincoln –
     Affordable housing – redevelop the old “cottage style” housing

• Kiva location:
     Convert to complex that is larger, where all existing tenants co-use parking and it is more efficient
     Kiva could expand to 2nd story
     Re-evaluate area

• Atrium block:
     Fill in 2nd pit – infill to match existing building
     Fill in behind atrium, 3 storeys – keep in scale with adjacent historical building
     Green roofs

• 4 corners:
     Try to tie the section together by paving, planting types, etc.
     People can flow in all directions

• Park area:
     Maintain pit as a cistern

• Don’t just fill the hole

• Stormwater management, taking water from adjacent areas

• Wetland? Reflect what the southern Willamette valley is
     Public restrooms – safe, accessible, convenient
     Shade from trees, awnings
     Seating
     Lighting for safety, wayfinding
     Plenty of meeting space – congregate

• Green Alleys:
     Connectors to different parts of downtown
     Green trellises, planters, etc.

• solar section:
     stepping back to create “bowl form”
     visual security for park
     driving force behind stepping effect: solar access & open space

Additional principles:
1) solar access
2) nature/wildlife aspect
3) 3 B’s: books, bars,
     Creating nodes within the district
     24-hour environments

Group #4: David & Jeff Facilitators

NOTES:

• Plugged in to rights and blights

• North & West side of the park – buildings
     Stepped buildings – low café
     Next level residential – will use café roof as balcony overlooking park
     3rd step office use
     “sandwich effect”

• Gap of alley – visual connection to Skinner’s Butte

• Park:
     Part hardscape that connects to LTD, Library corner
     Water feature that brings soft & hard aspects together
         Stormwater from residences, greywater
         Will fuel the water feature
         Will change throughout the seasons
     Native species planted – “operating wetland?”
         Visual cue with plantings – draws in, 4 corners of block draws i

• Would require awnings over sidewalk – could be covered and sheltered at all times

• Skate park – would draw “disaffected youth” – give something to do
     Adjacent buildings w/ balconies would give surveillance of place at night

• Covered bike parking:
     Located where people will most likely want it
     Visual cue of the area – “special bike racks”
     Located at intersections of streets where people get to those blocks

• Angled parking

• St Mary’s parking lot – some play areas for children

Group #3: McKenzie Facilitator

NOTES:

• Micro approach:
     Stage central aspects
     Bench seating around perimeter of stage
     Mixed-use across park joins with alley
     (and area can be used for outdoor seating)
     Delivery access, but only certain hours they could do that

• After that time, café use only

Group #2: Tim & McKenzie facilitator

NOTES:

• Regional perspective

• Focused on providing connections – extending boulevards
     Extending Broadway beyond
     Connection to market area

• Expanding Ken Kesey block

• Expansion of existing park blocks for Saturday market

• Key:
     Connection to perimeter parks – Alton Baker

• Pit across Library:
     Open plaza, mixed-use residential, public gathering
     With performance

• Broadway & Willamette in Center
     Creating parks in the center
     (and how do these connect to perimeter parks)

• Youth important