Butterfly Lot Will county gouge Eugene for City Hall site? BY ALAN PITTMAN Lazar's Bazaar isn't the only property downtown demanding big money for redevelopment land. Lane County wants the city of Eugene to pay up to eight times the estimated market value for its old butterfly-shaped parking garage on the park blocks. The council voted 5-3 Dec. 11 for the butterfly garage and adjacent Rock N Rodeo site as its top pick for a new City Hall. The city estimates the market value of the 228-space county butterfly garage at $1.7 million. The county wants that price, plus a replacement garage that will cost the city $8 to $11 million for a total cost of $10 to $13 million, according to city staff. In addition, the county also wants the city to provide a nearby quarter-block site for a possible new county courthouse. Councilor Bonny Bettman called the county's demands "astronomical." Questioning the demand for a replacement garage, she pointed out that when you buy a house you don't have to pay for the house and then also buy the seller a replacement house. "How is that justified?" "I agree with you that it does represent double paying," said city facilities manager Mike Penwell. "That's just been characterized as part of the deal." "It sounds to me like we're going to get the fuzzy end of the lollipop," said Councilor George Poling. Bettman asked whether the county would accept the current City Hall building as a swap. The current building is a whole block compared to a half-block, and has about the same number of parking spaces underneath it and is connected to the county building by a convenient sky bridge. The county could also use the office space. For years, the county has been looking for better offices for its public health division, which now occupies a cramped, cinder-block building — one of the worst public buildings in the region. City staff value the current building at only $2.8 million, assuming that it would be torn down. Penwell said he asked county officials about a swap, but they didn't want the building above the parking. Bettman questioned whether the city staff, who strongly favor tearing down the existing City Hall and rebuilding on the same site, are providing objective information on the costs of different sites. "I feel manipulated." Mayor Kitty Piercy said she and other councilors need to negotiate directly with county elected officials about buying the butterfly lot. "We do need to sit at the table with commissioners." Despite the momentous cost and importance of the City Hall placement decision, there appeared to be little council consensus on an issue that is likely to go to voters as a huge bond measure. Initially, the council appeared split down the middle on the City Hall site, with half favoring the butterfly lot and half favoring the current site. But Piercy said she favored the butterfly site, raising the possibility of a tie-breaking vote. After that, Councilor Andrea Ortiz changed her position to support the butterfly site, making the vote 5-3. Supporters of the Rock N Rodeo-butterfly site (Councilors Ortiz, Bettman, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papé and Mayor Piercy) argued that the site would be more exciting to the public and would help downtown by replacing an eyesore garage with a civic building, potential expanded Farmers' Market and addition to the park blocks. "This is something that the community needs to be excited about," said Piercy. "We have the best chance of doing that with the Rock N-butterfly site." Opponents (Councilors Jennifer Solomon, George Poling and Chris Pryor and City Manager Dennis Taylor and his staff) argued that the current City Hall site would cost 10 percent less and offer more flexibility with its larger size. "You're trading a full block for a half block and paying $10 million more for it," said Pryor. "That is not a good deal." But others pointed out the Rock N-butterfly site is three-quarters of a block with potential for underground parking under park space on the remaining quarter block. Councilor Papé said the cost difference could also be erased if a full accounting of the "organizational turmoil" of moving twice and renting dispersed space for two years to build on the current site is considered. Bettman also questioned whether returning to old plans to build on the current City Hall site would breed voter cynicism. She said voters will ask, "Boy, you had to spend $2 million on a consultant to build a new City Hall on the same spot and a new police station across the street. Isn't that what you started out with?" Later in the meeting, departing Councilor Kelly cautioned that the city should reconsider spending the planned second million of the $2 million on consultants next year before gauging whether voters support paying for the estimated $130 million project. "The whole bottom line is, what are the taxpayers willing to pay for?" Councilor Ortiz said.
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