News Releases
News from Lane Community College
For release July 15, 2010
Downtown campus wins three votes of approval from LCC board
EUGENE, OR -- The Lane Community College downtown campus proposal won three votes of approval from the Lane Community College Board of Education at its July 14 meeting.
First, the board authorized President Mary Spilde to sign a $1 purchase agreement with the City of Eugene provided that the City certifies that the Department of Environmental Quality has satisfactorily addressed a previous soil contamination issue. This should be resolved very soon, the president said.
Second, the board approved Robertson Sherwood Architects of Eugene and SRG Partnership of Portland as architects for the project, for a fee of $3.8 million.
Third, the board endorsed student housing and will determine whether the college should build and operate the housing, or hire a private developer, at a work session on July 28.
All votes were 6-0; board member Robert Ackerman was absent.
Applause broke out after each vote. “This is a real milestone,” said President Spilde. “In many ways this is just the beginning. We’re making progress and I’m very excited.”
Tony McCown, elected as 2010/11 chair earlier in the meeting, said, “This campus offers a tremendous service and opportunity to our students to live and go to school downtown, and it and also offers a great benefit to downtown and the community overall.”
The actions keep Lane on an aggressive schedule for the academic building that sets groundbreaking for spring 2011 and completion for fall 2012.
The downtown campus is widely regarded as a landmark project that will help revitalize downtown and regional economies. It will be built at an empty lot and pit at 10th and Charnelton across from the Eugene Public Library.
The academic building will house continuing education and short-term training, business development and employee training, senior programs, and energy management programs. It will be built to LEED Platinum energy efficiency and sustainability standards. It is estimated at 90,000 square feet and a cost of $35 million. The college has identified $30.5 million so far, including $8 million in urban renewal funds from the City of Eugene. If final funding cannot be obtained the project could be modified to stay within budget.
The residence hall will house about 200 students. It is estimated at 76,400 square feet and a cost of $15 million. Some funding is available from a 1987 settlement on a previous student housing project known as Ashlane. Occupancy is expected to be high.
More information is available online at 2011sitearchive.lanecc.edu/dc including a new video featuring Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, Eugene Chamber President Dave Hauser, and others.
Lane is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
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Media contact: Joan Aschim, PIO, (541) 463-5591, aschimj@lanecc.edu
