LCC buys 'pit' for $1, wants Eugene to buy old building for $1.2 million
EUGENE, Ore. -- The City of Eugene sold "the pit" at 10th and Charnelton to Lane Community College for $1.
The new LCC downtown campus is slated to be 80,000 to 90,000 square feet and will offer student housing on site.
So what about the community college's building on Willamette Street?
LCC would like it if the city bought it from them for $1.2 million dollars.
"I don't see this as doing a favor," said Mayor Kitty Piercy. "I see this as achieving goals we've set out in front of us, in partnership fortunately with Lane Community College."
Not all City Councilors agree.
"I'm concerned about us aquiring more property at a time where I think the city should be divesting itself of surplus property," said City Councilor Mike Clark.
"We're going to either give them $8 million and get nothing, or we're going to give them $8 million and get a piece of property," Councilor Alan Zelenka said, "and I'd rather have the second option.:
"The city aquiring another toxic asset?" Councilor George Brown said. "I think it's a terrible mistake."
"I was just so excited that we were going to get out of the downtown development business," said Councilor Jennifer Solomon, "because we're getting rid of the 10th and Charnelton site and Beam (Construction)'s going to do something and we can wash our hands and be done with it."
So a decision on whether to buy LCC"s current building will have to wait -- and at least for now, LCC doesn't see that as a deal breaker.
"It's a very positive step in the right direction," said Dennis Carr, chief human resoure officer for LCC. "This is an incremental process, so the fact the city is committing the transfer of the property and significant resources - $8 million - is a very positive step."
