EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) -- Eugene City Council is getting closer to making a decision on the future of Eugene City Hall and, for the first time, there’s a clearer picture about the cost of a replacement facility.
Councilors are weighing three options for the future Eugene City Hall, but each presents big differences in what offices would be housed inside the building.
The Eugene City Council’s Subcommittee on City Hall presented the latest work about a new City Hall at their November 14 work session.
The subcommittee has proposed three options for the future building including rebuild, build new, and EWEB headquarters acquisition.
No matter which option is picked though, the City says the project will likely cost $15 million. However, what work could be done for that money varies. The $15 million is considered Phase One of multiple project phases .
The first option - rebuild - would be a major renovation of the existing Eugene City Hall on 8th Avenue and Pearl Street. This option would retain the existing City Council chamber and leave the building with 20,000 to 25,000 square feet of finished space. An additional 32,000 square feet of finished space would be roofed but incomplete. That project would also include retention of 90 to 100 parking spaces.
The second option - to build new - would have crews completely demolishing the current City Hall and building a new one on the 8th Avenue and Pearl Street site. The option would leave a section of vacant land to build a future addition to the new building. The plan does not include the cost for parking spaces though.
Under the $15 million Phase One rebuild or build new options, the City would only have enough finished space to house the Mayor’s offices, City Council work areas and the City Manager’s offices.
The third option - EWEB acquisition - is the purchase and remodeling of the current EWEB headquarters along the Willamette River. This option would give the city 58,000 square feet of finished space, includes parking and would also include purchase of additional nearby property.
Under the $15 million dollar Phase One of the EWEB acquisition, all of the Mayor’s offices, City Council work areas and City Manager’s offices could move into the building along with the Central Services and Finance departments.
"I think the tendency is to think small because we don't have a lot of money . . . and I just want to challenge us to think big, just differently . . . and think of it in kind of an evolutionary way,” said Mayor Kitty Piercy on Wednesday.
Ultimately, the City wants about 160,000 square feet of space to house consolidate the Mayor’s offices, City Council work areas, the City Manager’s office, financial services, Central Service administration, Public Works administration and Engineering, Planning and Development, Risk Services, Municipal Court, Human Resources and Information Services departments all under one roof.
With most of those departments, the rebuild and build new options are estimated to cost about $45 million; the EWEB option would cost about $30 million .
"One of the important objective things that I think we have reached is that you can't eat this sandwich all in one bite. It's going to have to be done in phases. All three plans will accommodate . . . phasing, but there's a little variation on how that phasing works,” says Councilor Chris Pryor.
Councilors have yet to make any decisions about the future of City Hall. They’ll hold a work session about the issue again on December 19.
