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STRONG REGIONAL CENTER <br />Dozuntozun is the premier location for major <br />commercial, governmental and cultural <br />activities for Eugene, Lane County and the <br />southern Willamette Valley. Downtown has the <br />largest concentration of employment in the region, <br />with thousands of employees in the city center five <br />days a week. Downtown Eugene is home to <br />municipal, county, state, federal and other <br />professional offices patronized by citizens from all <br />corners of the metropolitan area. Most of the <br />region's financial institutions are headquartered <br />downtown, with branches located throughout the <br />city. Major activity centers are located just outside <br />of the downtown core, including the University of <br />Oregon and the Lane Events Center at the <br />Fairgrounds. Both are easily accessible by foot, bike, <br />public transit or car from downtown. Land use <br />policies, as well as technology, transportation <br />infrastructure and other critical services are in place <br />to strengthen and expand the role of downtown <br />Eugene as the regional center. <br />Commercial Activities <br />Downtown Eugene has historically served as the <br />business center in the Eugene-Springfield <br />metropolitan area. Like many other cities, <br />downtown Eugene has evolved from an economic <br />center of industrial uses and anchor retail stores to <br />a center for professional and government services. <br />Approximately 15,000 people work in the <br />._. V <br />s <br />~ <br />is <br />~~ ~~t ~ ~ <br />~ t <br />$ <br />f ~ <br />~ ~ <br />~~ <br />{ s ~~<; <br />.~'i£l :., MI5 ~_ ~, ~~ ~; j~ <br />k <br />sa ~ ~ <br />3~, <br />*£ ~`i <br />` <br />t ~;.~ @. ~1 i <br />+ <br />i t ~ <br />€i E <br />: I '~ <br />V v <br />1 <br />~ ~~ <br />1 E g <br />. ~ i '~ .~ # .... E ~ .y] r ~ . a E. ~) <br />~1 3 ~ ~ `i ~ ~ .... ~1 ~ ^ ~ L: f `. . Y. .. <br />The Citizen's Building, <br />"' `~ ~ `' ~~~ ~~ ~ ~ !~ ~ ~ ~ 1 a ten-story office <br />M <br />` q'`~x`r'r~. ~ ~ ;, .~. ~ ' <br />~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ w <br />~ ` <br />building in the <br />~ <br />~ <br />~- commercial core <br />, ~ <br />~i _~.:.- of downtown. <br />~. w.; <br />Originally a strong retail center, downtown has become the employment <br />center for the region. Photo circa 1950. <br />downtown area. Over the past twenty years, <br />downtown employment and the volume of <br />downtown office space has increased dramatically. <br />The majority of all office space in Eugene is <br />currently located downtown. <br />Commercially zoned properties in downtown <br />Eugene have some of the highest land values in the <br />metro area. Commercial activities benefit from the <br />central location and the concentration of other <br />business and government activities in the downtown <br />core. Downtown office buildings in particular are <br />among the highest value development in the region, <br />strengthening the economic base for downtown. <br />Dense commercial office development generates <br />significant employment opportunities and <br />pedestrian activity, which in turn supports retail, <br />restaurants, cultural and entertainment venues. <br />EUGENE DOWNTOWN PLAN APRIL 2004 7 <br />