Eugene (KMTR) - Downtown Eugene is officially moving in a new direction after a major decision by the city council Monday night. The move could lead to replacing the “Sears pit” with a new Lane Community College Facility.
LCC will get some $8 million toward its goal of building a new downtown campus. The vote also means that the city’s urban renewal program, first established in 1968, will continue.
City council members Betty Taylor and George Brown opposed the proposal saying they wanted the public to vote on the matter in November.
"I think, in the interest of government accountability and transparency, it actually is consensus-building,” said Brown. “The best thing to do is for council to refer this to the ballot."
But the rest of the council wants to act now.
Council member Mike Clark said, “I'm willing to go down this road and vote in favor of this particular plan because it's a pragmatic approach to accomplishing the ends we're trying to do downtown.”
The renewal plan also includes improving the park blocks at 8th Ave. and Oak St., the home of Saturday Market.
LCC hopes to break ground on a new downtown Eugene campus as early as this fall.
