Building planners are working on restoring a historic West University neighborhood building despite opposition from business owneThe Thompson-Roach Building, at 544-550 E. 13th Ave. between Patterson and Ferry streets, was originally built in 1927 and currently houses New Max’s Tavern and Little’s Market. Building owner Sunset
Investment LLC chose to renovate it after seeing the historic nature of the building, said spokeswoman Barbara Cowan.
Cowan also said a renovation of the building would be beneficial to the business owners.
“We finally decided to do this project because it would be in the best interests of the business owners,” Cowan said. “I think that a building that appeared cared for would bring interest, and it would discourage vandalism.”
The Eugene Historic Review Board, which designated the building as a historic site in August 2005, expressed support for the rehabilitation plans in an informational meeting Thursday. Ken Guzowski, senior planner at the Eugene Planning Division, said the building was originally built for three stores, but a 1955 remodel removed the wall separating two of the stores, which became the space Little’s Market occupies.
The plan has received a mixed response from business owners in the building. Kunsik and Oksoon Kim, who have co-owned Little’s Market since 1990, said they are opposed to the plan because it involves taking down their market sign and moving it to either the side of the building or to the right-hand side of its entrance.
Ward Fairbairn, the owner of New Max’s Tavern since 1993, said he thinks the plan is an excellent idea and he has wanted to do it for years.
The Kims said they did not know about the plan until two weeks ago when Cowan presented it to them.
“The way we look at it, it’s not going to help my business,” Kunsik Kim said. “What makes me uncomfortable about this is we didn’t know about it until recently.”
Cowan said Sunset Investment LLC and architectural and historical
building representatives had made four previous visits to the site and had talked to the Kims about the project. She said she was unclear on why they did not understand the plans.
Building rehabilitation plans include removing the metal facade that displays the signs for Little’s Market and bringing back the building’s original stucco facade, as well as fixing up the building’s dilapidated appearance.
Kunsik Kim said he didn’t have a renewed building lease for the last 11 years until January 2006 and as a result he was unable to make any repairs to the signs and the building. He said he had already informed the building owners of his plans to repair the signs, replace the front door and to clean the building’s front facade.
The plans also include restoring a recessed entrance on the northwestern side of the building that was removed in the 1955 remodel and extending the middle entrance three feet into the store. The Kims said they oppose the additions because they would lose property space in the store. They also said they liked the building as it is and didn’t think a return to the building’s 1920s appearance would make it better.
“I don’t understand why they would do this,” Kunsik Kim said. “We have people come in here and say they used to go to the UO as a student or as a professor, and that they remember the building.”
Fairbairn said the rehabilitation would help the building look better, and its designation as a historic building protects it from being knocked down.
“This neighborhood can use all the help it can get,” said Fairbairn. “I love this neighborhood and hopefully someone putting enough love and energy into the building will make it flow forward into the rest of the neighborhood.”
Historic buildings have to follow city guidelines to maintain its designation. Cowan said before the project could go forward, the building would have to get approval from the National Register for Historic Places and the process for the renovation would have to be worked out. She said the plan could be refined to include suggestions from business owners, but alterations to the original building have to be approved by a city planner to make sure they fall under historic building guidelines.
“I think that a historical preservation can change the attitudes about a place,” Cowan said. “We’re just at the fledgling phase of the project. I’m willing to work with the Kims. I have a positive attitude about this and hope that the community will support it.”
Contact the city, state politics reporter at [email protected]