Darby Winter

Construction workers stand next to an excavator Mar.11.2025 at the River front construction site in downtown Eugene, Ore (Darby Winter/Emerald)

Empty storefronts, graffiti-covered walls, and the occasional closed sign might be what some University of Oregon students think of when they hear “downtown Eugene.” But behind the scenes, city leaders and business advocates say there’s a major push underway to turn that image around — and they want students to be part of the change.

“Our biggest challenge in downtown Eugene is perceptions of safety and cleanliness,” Eric Brown, downtown manager for the City of Eugene, said. “That’s what makes people hesitate to invest — especially in ground floor businesses.”

It’s a familiar issue for some of those who have walked down Broadway or Willamette streets in recent years. But city and business leaders are trying to shift that experience by cleaning up the streets, recruiting more businesses, and investing in housing to bring more people downtown — not just to shop or eat, but to live.

Rapid Response and Red Hats

One of the city’s recent tools is a rapid-response cleaning team that responds to reported messes — fast. “If someone sees graffiti or a mess, they can snap a photo, upload it, and often within 10 to 15 minutes, city staff show up to clean it up,” Brown explained.

There’s also a visible presence of “Red Hat” ambassadors through Downtown Eugene Inc. These staff members walk the downtown corridor daily, helping de-escalate minor issues, assisting visitors, and working closely with local police.

Katie Wilgus, who works full-time as the downtown solutions strategist with the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, says these efforts are starting to move the needle. “Our streets are cleaner,” she said. “We track all the data from the downtown Red Hats and we’re seeing progress—we’re seeing fewer calls for responses.”

Spotlight on Local Businesses

While downtown might still look like it’s struggling in some spots, Wilgus says the businesses that stuck it out during the pandemic are holding strong — especially during the lunch rush.

“The downtown restaurants that stuck it out — many are packed during lunch,” Brown added. “The ones that made it are doing all right.”

To give downtown businesses more visibility — especially to younger residents — the Chamber is focusing on events that make it fun and easy to explore what’s already here.

One example is the new “Taste of Track Town” event, which turns downtown into a walking food tour. “It’s happening on a Saturday (June 21) when all of those people are out — from noon to 5 p.m.— and it’s highlighting all of the food and beverage establishments we have downtown,” Wilgus said. “People can go into any of those businesses participating and get an item for $5.”

The event isn’t ticketed and doesn’t bring in outside vendors — it’s purely focused on celebrating and supporting the local restaurants, cafes, and shops that give Eugene its flavor.

From Parking Lots to Possibility

But supporting current businesses isn’t enough. To truly revitalize downtown, the city and chamber are focused on getting more people to live there.

“Downtowns that had housing pre-pandemic fared better — they had a built-in level of activity,” Brown said. Currently, the area around Kesey Square has one of the lowest housing densities in the city: just 2.4 units per acre.

That’s why the city has launched the Downtown Core Housing Initiative, offering developers things like tax breaks, permit fee waivers, and access to underused city-owned land. In 2023 alone, the City Council made $50 million available for downtown renewal, followed by another $75 million for the Riverfront district — both aimed largely at housing.

“It’s about creating that baseline activity to sustain businesses and activate public spaces,” Brown said. “This isn’t just about downtown vibrancy. It’s also about tackling our housing crisis — and climate change. If people live downtown and can walk, bike, or take transit to what they need, we lower our per-capita carbon emissions.”

Wilgus has also been meeting with developers, trying to identify which parcels downtown — like flat parking lots or empty buildings — are best suited for transformation. She says the work isn’t flashy, but it’s essential.

“There is no silver bullet that’s going to fix everything,” she said. “But if we can just make those small strides, we’ll start heading in the right direction.”

A Downtown That Feels Connected

Brown and Wilgus both emphasize that building a thriving downtown isn’t just about new buildings — it’s about making people feel like the whole area is welcoming, walkable, and worth spending time in.

“Five years from now, I want to see 200 new housing units downtown,” Brown said. “I want people to feel like it’s natural to walk from the LTD (Lane Transit District) station to the riverfront, through 5th Street Market and Kesey Square — that it all feels connected.”

Another major development, currently in motion, is the transformation of the North Butterfly Lot — a city-owned site next to the Lane County Farmers Market — into a mixed-use development with housing above and ground-floor retail. Brown calls it a “catalytic project” that could help reshape how people move through and use downtown.

What It Means for Students

For UO students, especially those living near campus or commuting from further out, a more vibrant downtown could mean more lunch spots, social hangouts, job opportunities, and housing options.

It could also mean feeling safer walking through the city center at night or having more affordable places to live without needing a car.

And if you’re looking to support the shift? Wilgus recommends starting small — eat local, walk around, and keep showing up.

“I’m seeing people come to the table,” she said. “It’s not just being angry about the problems — people want to be part of the solution.”