EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) - Eugene's City Council is not much closer to making a decision about approving a controversial downtown housing project for students. They got another update Monday night on the proposal which has stirred up a lot of controversy in the last few months.
Capstone Collegiate Communities wants to take over the former Eugene Clinic site on 13th Avenue between Charnelton and Willamette Streets to build apartments. The $89 million project would house about 1,200 college students.
Councilors heard concerns people have, including site management, transportation and construction.
Some councilors, including George Brown, question whether the group will make a lasting commitment to Eugene in return for the tax breaks it seeks.
“I researched 18 projects that they have built that fit the exact footprint of what is proposed here,” Brown said, “and one of my questions was how many do they continue to manage? The answer is zero. Not one. And one was occupied in 2009 - two and a half years ago - and it's already been sold.”
City council members also have concerns about the multi-use property tax exemption and how it would work.
Lane Transit District may also need to rearrange routes to meet the extra ridership demand.
The city council could take a vote on the idea within the next couple of months.
