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| Under Runaway Arts, Saffron Supply, and the UGM are the bones of old buildings, heavily remodeled. But also - apartments over retail! (Salem Library Historic Photos) |
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| Same view today - via Streetview |
- The Urban Renewal Agency will consider purchasing the UGM property. The price was reduced $80,000 to compensate for prospective environmental clean up. The deal also includes an exit clause if UGM is not able to raise the funds for the new site. See previous notes here and here. Though there is reason to think old bones are under the layers of remodeling, the buildings may well have reached the end of their useful life, and as long as new buildings are constructed, and there is no vast new parking lot, there is little argument for "preservation" and reuse here. Redevelopment may occasion a rare instance of benign demolition.
- The Police Station appears to have sailed through at the Planning Commission, and Council will get the decision as an information item. I think we will regret the opaque fencing in back and along the creek, but clearly this wasn't a detail that mattered to others.
- A ban on single-use plastic bags has been proposed. It will get a formal Public Hearing next month. Councilor Andersen has comment here, our 350.org chapter here.
- The Ice Rink at Riverfront Park looks like it was a success and the agreement will be renewed for next year. They listed 34,228 skaters, 105 parties, and six charity events. That seems like a substantial number of visitors, many of whom weren't already planning trips to the park and were therefore new visits generated by the ice rink. The dates of operation will also be extended.
- There's an appeal on a zoning change and Urban Growth Preliminary Declaration on some former State of Oregon/Corban U. land off of Aumsville Highway.
- And the City looks to adopt formal City positions on November ballot measures. These are important, and worth a close look. Councilor Andersen also has some comment.
1 comment:
Apparently the nicer fencing around the new police building had to be nixed due to cost. The price of materials has so skyrocketed due to inflation and tariffs that some things had to be cut. They staff said that so much was already cut...size of the building and number of stalls in the parking structure...that they could not do more. So, the fence will be a chain linked fence. I think it will be ugly and a mistake that at some point they will seek to have replaced.
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