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Socioeconomics <br />Alternative 2, Option A (Preferred Alternative) <br />Selection of Alternative 2, option A, the Chiquita site (formerly Agripac) in Eugene, would <br />displace the Chiquita fruit packing plant and the AutoCraft shop. This alternative would not <br />result in a major loss of jobs or currently used commercial space. <br />After publication of the draft EIS it was found that the Alternative 2 site did not provide an <br />adequate distance between the federal courthouse and the AutoCraft shop to meet the safety and <br />security requirements of the federal courthouse facility. In order to meet these requirements, the <br />boundaries of the Chiquita (formerly Agripac) site were modified to include AutoCraft. The <br />impacts on the AutoCraft business are considered in the draft EIS as part of the Broadway site <br />alternative (Alternative 5 in the draft EIS). The socioeconomic analysis of the Broadway site <br />concludes that adequate space exists in Eugene to relocate displaced businesses, including <br />AutoCraft, and that there would be no significant adverse impact. <br />.Demand for adjacent commercial property is likely to increase as office-oriented services, such <br />as restaurants and coffee shops, move into the area. Given the close proximity of the site to <br />existing court-related services, it is unlikely that many of these services would relocate near the <br />new site or develop new facilities near the new federal courthouse. <br />As described in the land use section, the Chiquita site and the surrounding area are slated for <br />redevelopment by the city of Eugene. Developing the federal courthouse on the Chiquita site <br />would promote redevelopment of the area by providing demand for commercial space, although <br />the induced demand for commercial space would be minimal. Impacts on commercial properties <br />are expected to be minor. <br />Alternative 2, Option B <br />If Alternative 2, option B is selected, approximately 2.5 acres of the Alternative 2, option A site <br />would be available for redevelopment by the city of Eugene or its agent. This redeveloped <br />property could be used for currently unspecified governmental activities or commercial uses. If <br />this alternative is selected, it would have no more than a minor impact on the quantity of <br />commercial property in Eugene. <br />Demographics <br />The demographic information presented above indicates that the population of the areas around <br />both alternative sites is generally lower-income, older, and more likely to live in low-rent <br />aparhnents than are residents of the cities as a whole. These three factors make residents more <br />vulnerable to potential adverse effects of relocation or the loss of affordable apartment units. <br />Construction and operation of the proposed courthouse would not reduce the number of existing <br />housing units and would not require relocation of any residents. The project would not cause a <br />significant increase in the number of federal workers and therefore would not increase the <br />demand for housing. Although the alternative project sites lie within areas with proportionately <br />higher rates of poverty and lower income, the proposed project would not displace any residents, <br />Final EIS 114 New Federal Courthouse <br />