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Projecf Alternatives <br />Alternative 2, Option A (Preferred Alternative) and Option B <br />The GSA is considering two options for the Chiquita (formerly Agripac) site in Eugene. Option <br />A is bordered by East 8~' Avenue on the south, Mill Street (Highway 99) on the west, the <br />Southern Pacific Railroad tracks on the north, and the undeveloped Ferry Street right-of--way on <br />the east (Figure 4). This site, which includes a portion of the Chiquita plant and the AutoCraft <br />body shop, covers 5.17 acres. The site is zoned for heavy industry (I-3). The heavy industrial <br />zone allows for a wide range of manufacturing and other industrial activities with controlled <br />external impacts. The neighborhood currently has a commerciaUindustrial character consisting <br />of modern and historic buildings, including a variety of businesses (Figure 5). <br />Development of other portions of the Alternative 2 site would require the removal of a portion of <br />the Chiquita fruit packing facility and some displacement of the fruit packing operation. No <br />residential structures are located on this site. Alternative 2, option A is a clarification of <br />Alternative 2 addressed in the draft EIS. <br />Alternative 2, option B is similar to Alternative 2, option A, except that the property to be used <br />for the federal courthouse would be reduced to the minimum practicable area. Alternative 2, <br />option B covers 108,900 square feet (2.5 acres). This smaller site option would reduce project <br />impacts. <br />The GSA has determined that Alternative 2, option A is the preferred alternative for the new <br />federal courthouse in Eugene/Springfield. <br />Alternative 2, option A meets the operational requirements of the federal courts and would <br />accommodate the long-range (30-year) needs of the courts. <br />Development of the Alternative 2, option A and option B site would not require removal of any <br />buildings that are potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. <br />Preliminary Site Layout <br />For the purposes of environmental analysis, preliminary siting studies have been initiated for the <br />two alternative sites. Figure 6 shows sketches of the possible placement and orientation of a new <br />courthouse on each of the alternative sites and their options. These sketches provide preliminary <br />information regarding the building footprint only; development of the actual site plan and <br />building design would begin after the record of decision for the project is issued. <br />New Federal Courthouse 27 Final EIS <br />