Articles - Winter 2010 - return to index
Business Solutions: Business Will Benefit From New Downtown Campus
Small businesses and entrepreneurs will find expanded services and great facilities geared to help them improve their bottom line, when Lane Community College builds a new campus in downtown Eugene.
The college is working towards building a new facility at 10th and Charnelton across from the Eugene Public Library in the heart of downtown. Funding will be provided in part by the $83 million bond approved by voters last year, by state capital construction funds, and by additional public-private financing packages.
The innovative learning center that planners have in mind will allow Lane’s Business Development Center, Employee Training, and eDev (formerly Lane Micro Business), to expand business advising, workshops, seminars, classes, and programs. The Oregon Small Business Development Center Network also hopes to relocate at the new building. So do Lane’s continuing education, adult basic education, green energy degree and certificate programs, and senior programs.
The new campus will boost business by contributing to the revitalization of the downtown economy by bringing more students, staff, customers and visitors to the heart of the city. The building will be built according to LEED standards and will serve as a model of sustainability and as a teaching tool for energy career training programs.
A key advantage to building a new facility is that services and programs can continue to operate out of their current locations during construction. Lane’s BDC, ET and eDev programs presently are located in the Wildish Building at 1445 Willamette Street, next door to the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, and three blocks south of the college’s current downtown center. OSBDCN currently is located in the Atrium Building.
A new downtown campus for Lane Community College will be a good move for local business.
