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eugene weekly • october 3, 1996 ' <br /> . <br /> Parking vs. <br /> Trees <br /> BY ALAN PITTMAN <br /> Sp ome of Eugene's largest and oldest <br /> ublic trees will be cut down to room for a new downtown parking <br /> g` ear old bi <br /> The trees— including one 80-y <br /> leaf maple designated by the city as an of- <br /> cial "heritage" tree that stands 100 feet <br /> tall —are found in and around two blocks of <br /> city-owned property at West Broadway and <br /> Charnelton. <br /> Ina deal with the Seattle -based Lorig <br /> development company, the city plans to <br /> build a 750-car garage topped by 170 apart- <br /> ments and several small storefronts. The <br /> $24- million cost of the throe to four story <br /> structure will be roughly split between Long <br /> and the city. The city launched the garage <br /> development after Symantec Corporation, a <br /> software customer service company that <br /> employs 500 people and is situated across <br /> the street from the proposed project, lobbied <br /> city officials for more parking. <br /> Eugene city forester Scott Plamondon <br /> says it's uncertain exactly how many of the <br /> trees at the site will be cut down. Several <br /> large black walnut, sweet gum and cedar . <br /> trees will have to be removed, he says. But <br /> some of the older trees along Broadway and <br /> s Lincoln Street may be saved if their branches <br /> and roots don't get in the way of construc- <br /> tion. <br /> Plans for the site include replacing the <br /> older trees with about 34 nursery trees, Pla- <br /> mondon says. But he adds, "removing the <br /> • [old] trees is significant. They are large <br /> enough that there will be a loss of canopy." <br /> Losing the older trees is amble, says <br /> . Mayor Ruth Bascom,. But she says the <br /> garage project `is more important" than the <br /> trees. Besides the area will be replanted, s <br /> com says, and "trees grow <br />