The city of Eugene is inching toward securing a land swap that could re-open the West University Park after 10 years of closure.
The park, located at East 14th Avenue and Hillyard Street, has been closed since 1995, when the city deemed the park unsafe. The new land swap could change that by increasing the park’s visibility from the street.
The idea for the swap came when Bob Quinney, owner of the property adjacent to the park, decided he was going to demolish the old buildings on his property and build new apartments. After discussing the city’s plans for the park, Quinney offered to switch the north side of his property for the south side of the park.
This would put the longer side of the park on 14th Avenue and would restrict access to the park from the alley between 14th and 15th avenues. The land is currently a pocket park, with the park’s longest section in the middle and the park’s back end connected to the alley – two things that made it easy for people to enter unseen from the street, Ward 3 Eugene City Councilor David Kelly said.
But the swap is still uncertain.
Last Wednesday, the City Council directed the city manager to execute the swap with Quinney, but that included a condition that Quinney was unsure of.
Quinney wants the right of first refusal if the city decides to sell the park, allowing him to buy the park at its appraised value without competition. The city’s agreement, however, will only allow Quinney to match the highest offer in an open bid.
“I could get into a bidding war and pay $3,000 to $4,000 more,” Quinney said. “I obviously don’t want to do that.”
Quinney is interested in the park because of the effects a new structure on the park property could have on his project. Quinney is planning to build his apartments with a view of the park, and he said another building on the property would hurt his property value.
“It would be less desirable for people to live there,” Quinney said. “There would be more vacancies, lower rent.”
Kelly has said the city has no plans to sell the park any time soon.
“This whole issue is something I hope will never arise,” Kelly said. “The city is committed to making the park work.”
Two city councilors, Bonny Bettman and Betty Taylor, voted against the proposed land swap because of the first refusal issue.
“I don’t see why he should be ahead of anyone else,” Taylor said.
Quinney has also put a time limit on negotiations. Quinney said he wants to start construction soon in order to have the apartments completed by next fall.
“We are running tight now as it is,” Quinney said. “I feel pretty strongly that you have to get it up in the fall or wait another year.” Quinney said that he would need to start construction by December to be finished in time.
Quinney is currently in negotiatons with the city on specifics of the deal and is expected to decide whether to accept within the next few weeks.
He said that if the land swap doesn’t work out, he will simply rebuild on his current property.
The land swap has gotten support from West University residents, who want a park back in their neighborhood.
“I would very much like to have a park in West University – the most densely populated neighborhood in Eugene and the only one, to my knowledge, without a park,” West University Neighbors board member Deborah Healey said in a letter to the city. “This proposal seems like a good way to get there.”
There are concerns that illicit behavior at the park could resurface.
“There was a lot of drug dealing,” Eugene Police Officer Dale Dawson said of the previous park. “A lot of partying, breaking of park rules.”
Dawson thinks the park could work in its new configuration, but it will take a big effort from the community to keep it safe, one students may not be willing to make.
“It depends on the level of activity of the people around it,” Dawson said. “You’re trying to encourage people who are part-time residents to work on a permanent problem.”
Quinney would pay the city $30,000 for the approximately 2,600 square feet he will gain in the swap. The city plans on using the money to install irrigated turf in the park but has no plans for beyond that.
“We don’t have funding for anything at that site,” Robin Hostick of the City of Eugene Parks Department said. The city hopes to have the park opened within two years of the completion of Quinney’s project.

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