Eugene City Hall
| Eugene City Hall | |
|---|---|
 City Hall before sunset | |
| Alternative names | Civic Center |
| General information | |
| Type | Municipal |
| Architectural style | Modernism |
| Address | 777 Pearl Street |
| Town or city | Eugene, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 44°03′05″N 123°05′20″W / 44.051505°N 123.088933°WCoordinates: 44°03′05″N 123°05′20″W / 44.051505°N 123.088933°W |
| Construction started | 1961 |
| Completed | 1964 |
| Cost | $2,000,000 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 1 |
| Floor area | 84,000sf |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Stafford, Morin, and Longwood |
| Structural engineer | W. W. Wilson |
| Main contractor | Gale M. Roberts Co. |
| Website | |
| http://www.eugene-or.gov/index.aspx?nid=668 | |
Also known as Civic Center, Eugene City Hall is a mid-century modern, single-story municipal structure with a central plaza and underground parking in Eugene, Oregon. The building was the result of a national design contest that included 25 entries, later narrowed to four, and awarded to Stafford, Morin, and Longwood of Eugene and Portland in 1961. The new building opened in 1964.[1] The building and its landscaped plaza were immediately praised as low-key, open designs that welcomed public participation in government.
But as Eugene grew in population and as building codes changed, it became obvious that City Hall did not meet the needs of local government. The 84,000 square foot building had become too small to house the many government departments and personnel, and city planners acquired office space in various nearby locations. City Hall relied upon steam heat provided by the Eugene Water and Electric Board, and when EWEB announced that it would no longer supply steam to downtown Eugene, the building's energy inefficiencies became obvious. Most troublesome to engineers, however, was that the building would not be structurally sound in an earthquake and could collapse into the lower-level parking area. Gradually, all city offices were moved, and the building was abandoned in 2012.
An ongoing discussion began in the late 1990s about whether to demolish City Hall or to remodel it, and should City Hall remain on its present site or move.[2][3] A 2007 City Hall Complex Master Plan identified a timeline that included Phase Four Design and Construction of a new building by 2011. Police were relocated outside of downtown, but no action was taken on City Hall.[4]
In January 2013, the Eugene City Council voted to construct a new city hall rather than renovate the existing building.[5] The old building will be razed and a new 25,000 square foot one constructed in its place. The cost is budgeted at $15 million and opening is expected in Fall 2016.[6] The long-term plan includes a potential second phase with construction of another building on the site that would bring the total size to 100,000 square feet.[7]
References
- ↑ "Great Buildings Collection: Eugene City Hall". Architecture Week. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ↑ Russo, Edward (September 17, 2005). "Architect says keep City Hall". Register-Guard (Eugene, Oregon: Guard Publishing). pp. D2. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ↑ Pittman, Alan (August 17, 2006). "DOOMED TO DEMO: Does Eugene really need to destroy its existing City Hall?". Eugene Weekly (Eugene, Oregon: Eugene Weekly). Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Eugene City Hall Complex Master Plan". City of Eugene, Thomas Hacker Architects, Inc. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ↑ "City Hall Planning". Rowell Brokaw Architects. 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ↑ Russo, Edward (August 29, 2014). "Despite protests, City Hall end near". The Register Guard. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ↑ Russo, Edward (July 15, 2014). "City Hall plans take shape". The Register Guard. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
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