1059 Willamette Street on KEZI 9 News
1059 Willamette Street (now 1055 Willamette Street) on track for 2025 demolition; to be replaced by apartment complex
By Aaron Arellano
Dec. 14, 2023
EUGENE, Ore. - After several years of waiting and jumps in costs, the former Montgomery Ward building in Downtown Eugene is finally expected to be demolished in early 2025 to make way for a new mixed-income housing complex. Reporter Arellano spoke with the city and locals about the development’s possible role in closing Eugene’s housing gap.
1059 Willamette Street is beautiful on the outside, but it’s been vacant for over a decade.
Lindsay Selser is the communications and engagement manager for the city of Eugene's planning and development department.
"It started as the Montgomery Ward development or the Montgomery Ward department stores," Selser said. "And then the Lane Community College had used this as their downtown campus, I think, from about '79 to 2012."
The city of Eugene bought the property located at 1059 Willamette Street from LCC in 2020. It announced plans in 2021 to turn it into a mixed-income housing complex.
“Now we are very, very close,” said Selser, “and they are looking forward to breaking ground in the New Year.”
Demolition is expected to happen in early 2025 to make way for this mixed-income housing with a total of 133 apartment units. A little more than half of the units will be rent-controlled studio apartments while the rest will be market rate.
According to the MUPTE application: the 80% AMI rent-controlled units will have a starting price of $1,128. The market-priced studios will start at $1,500, the one-bedroom units will start at $1,850 and the two bedroom units will start at $2,600.
Reactions to these mixed unit prices are mixed—at least to Pablo, who’s lived in Eugene for 20 years. "I think on paper, it seems like a good idea, but I just don't think for the actual kind of cost of living for just in Eugene as a whole,” said Pablo Carrasco.
Unit prices for the complex might feel a little high but Selser says the City of Eugene is trying to address all levels income even during such a difficult economy. And how about the prime downtown location. "[It's] across from the transit center, you know, all this employment all around, there's grocery stores, there's shopping. So this is a unique location," Selser said.
Carrasco said that, despite the location and prices, "I would like to see more affordable housing, maybe a little bit more like actual houses would be great.”
Selser said the city of Eugene is aware of the general housing gap in Eugene and have plans in place to address it. "We're working on that. We've got a five-year plan through our housing implementation pipeline, really looking at how can we work with folks and work with developers to get more affordable housing out of the ground," she said.
There is some agreement: It’s a start to fixing Eugene’s general lack of housing.
Carrasco said, "Honestly, Eugene is lacking in housing. So like, I mean, it's great to hear that the attempt is there and that we want more of like that controlled rent prices and things like that."