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Comments and Responses-Letter 17 <br />17. Bruce Berg <br />17.1-The Bright Oak Meat building <br />was deemed potentially eligible for the <br />National Register of Historic Places, <br />because it contributes to the potential <br />downtown Springfield historic district <br />and is associated with the historic theme <br />of the community's commercial <br />development. The fact that the building <br />currently includes a butcher shop, as it <br />did in 1947, also reinforces its <br />association with the community service <br />sector that existed before the advent of <br />supermarkets, when residents visited <br />specialty shops to purchase meat and <br />other foods. <br />The At Home, Inc. structure originally <br />contained the Stephens planing mill. <br />The building contributes to the potential <br />downtown Springfield historic district <br />and is associated with the historic theme <br />of the community's commercial <br />development. Additionally, only the <br />front facade has been altered, and the <br />structure retains its historic integrity. <br />The Ruthie B's building possesses <br />classic features of bungalow style and is <br />associated with the significant historic <br />themes of both residential and <br />commercial development of the <br />community. <br />Lettarl7 <br />~ruce ~¢rc~ <br />c..s,.>M.usD y,.r~..rv..m.. <br />JoMt Mtxrschcidt <br />Hermrn Env'tmtnn~mtal Comvltants <br />Z'~0 Sixth Avc. Suitt 6111 <br />Seattle WA 98!21 <br />September 9.20110 <br />1}enrMr. Meeracheidt, <br />I nrn NTiling ro comment nn the n:ptut your tirm ius given re(nvding the siting of the fiedernl <br />Courthouse in the Eugeno•SpringficW etra. Although t did not read the rcywrt, my infomwtion <br />rues gtcancd from the local ttetvspaper, so I tray be in error about some of your cnnctutions. <br />17.1 As an owner of two properties on the National Hisroric Register. l found ii platuible, but tyuitc a <br />txxh to inclWe the mmt market building on Mill (sod to a ktscr degree-the old wood shop <br />building) as o potentiol historic stnxttns. [t has ito hisrotie signifieartcc and no rcdtxming <br />historic fwturcs. The house which sitrs Rnthk El's is worthy of a {wttnlia! historic lis6og, but <br />certainly not the other two buildings. <br />17,y I Rcgartling yanking limitatinnx of the Springfield dnwrdown site, tltut tat 1 must havr ntissed your <br />login. Thcrc arc so many rim down aywrim~mt and homes ncaz the site that deserve to be <br />destroyed and demohslted, did thix not factor in }our cvdtratitats? <br />17,3 ~ 1 am a strong supporter of'the downmwn Springfield site. The Eugene cannery site htts besides <br />the environmenmt cleanup pmbloms ai! hidnric significance (there is a Inng suutding !!edition <br />of having wnrktd m the "cnnritry" that many fethcrcand motttets--including my dad who <br />worked Uwe in the 30'a-love enjoyed passing down thrir mm~tories to dater ehiWren). I did riot <br />17.4) nntia any memion of the hormtdous Votric problems that will rcstilt if the Courthottst: is locatdl <br />here. Is that out ot'yntu• scope? <br />17.8 Long trnn, l believe it is in the contmuttities best tmercst to choose the [bwnu+wn Springfield <br />site.....dartttliahing undtnv'dued popdhies for parking and thus becoming a kry amtptsrtent in <br />taming SpringFielJ's erne inm a vitd, thriving utrn once again. Eugene hex always goner al I the <br />Federol yxojedx_...it is finally Sy>ringfa:ld's rum. <br />The Archaeological and Historical <br />Resources Assessment conducted for the <br />draft EIS concludes that these three sites <br />are potentially eligible for listing in the National <br />Register of Historic Places. The study makes no <br />recommendation for dealing with these structures in <br />the event that the Riverfront site is selected for the <br />federal courthouse. In the event that this site is <br />selected, the GSA may recommend that the historic <br />features of the Bright Oak Meat and the At Home, <br />Inc. structures be catalogued prior to demolition, <br />given the poor quality of these two structures. <br />Acknowledging the historic value of the structure that <br />currently houses Ruthie B's, the GSA would work <br />with the city of Springfield to move the Ruthie B's <br />building to a nearby location in the city, if possible. <br />17.2-The existing older apartments and houses near <br />the site provide housing for residents of the city of <br />Springfield, and demolishing these units would result <br />in residential displacements that might be a <br />significant impact in the community. Moreover, the <br />GSA does not have authorization to develop <br />additional parking for the proposed courthouse. <br />aax98°Lwt o B}:~KRiT.,sran a /tttlrsaaru <br />Yo~urs, /~ <br />.~''""`.'~ ~" G <br />Ilnxe Ikrg <br />The draft EIS studies determined that the parking <br />impact in the city of Springfield would be a moderate <br />impact rather than a significant impact and therefore <br />would not require mitigation. <br />17.3-The Archaeological and Historical Resources <br />Assessment notes that the Chiquita (formerly <br />Agripac) office is potentially eligible for inclusion on <br />the National Register of Historic Places. The study <br />determined, however, that the remainder of the site <br />has been modified and does not retain its historic <br />integrity. <br />17.4-The traffic analysis did not fmd that the <br />project would result in a significant impact on traffic <br />around the Chiquita (Agripac) site. <br />17.5-Comment noted. <br />Final EIS 200 New Federal Courthouse <br />