New Search
1 <br />Record Of Decision <br />Record of Decision <br />New Federal Courthouse . <br />Eugene/Springfield, Lane County, Oregon <br />The purpose and need for the project: <br />Through a study of the existing and long-term space needs of the U. S. Courts District of Oregon, the <br />Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts identified a continuing need for increased space over a 30-year <br />period. The study also indicated the number of judges is expected to increase from five (at present) to <br />six in 2008 and 11 in 2028. The Courts currently occupy 108,085 square feet of space in the existing <br />federal building/courthouse. The building is filled to capacity and structurally cannot accommodate any <br />additional courtrooms. In addition, two bankruptcy judges and additional court services are located in <br />three leased locations. <br />The U. S. Courts are continuing to expand in the Eugene area. Any further expansion of the Courts <br />would require that another federal agency be moved from the existing federal building/courthouse into <br />leased space. The projected growth of the Courts is based on a projected expansion in caseloads due to <br />population growth in the region and a projected increase in the traffic of illegal drugs along the Interstate <br />5 corridor. <br />The 10-year growth plan for the U.S. Courts and court-related services will require 265,290 square feet <br />of gross building area, including 80 secure parking spaces. Additional facilities are needed to provide <br />six courtrooms for use by the federal district, magistrate, and bankruptcy judges, executive agencies, and <br />court-related offices. , <br />The existing federal building/courthouse in Eugene does not have a secure prisoner handling entry or <br />vehicle sally port, secure prisoner circulation corridors, courtroom holding cells, secure parking, or <br />ancillary facilities to support the mission of the U. S. Marshals. In general, security at the existing <br />federal building/courthouse is inadequate in nearly all respects. <br />The purpose of the proposed project is to: <br />^ Consolidate existing judicial functions <br />^ Accommodate the immediate (10-year) and future (30-year) space needs of the federal courts <br />and court-related agencies <br />^ Improve security and safety of courthouse occupants and the U. S. Marshals Service <br />^ Replace costly leased space. <br />Alternatives examined: <br />The final EIS considered two action alternatives and a no-action alternative. Each of the action <br />alternatives addressed in the final EIS included two options. The no-action (no-build) alternative would <br />continue the use of the existing federal courthouse in Eugene, supplemented by leased space throughout <br />the downtown area. <br />The action alternatives are described in detail below: <br />Alternative 1 - Riverfront Site, Springfield, Options A and B <br />~"! ^ Alternative 1, option A is bordered by West B Street, Mill Street, Main Street, and the boundary of <br />Island Park. This site covers 196,000 square feet (4.5 acres). Alternative 1, option' A, which is the <br />same as Alternative 1 addressed in the draft EIS, includes properties currently used by the Island <br />Park Partnership; Bright Oak Meats, At Home, Inc., Norm's Auto Repair, and Ruthie B's Antiques. <br />New Federal Courthouse Page 1 of 8 March 2001 <br />