After researching more than 500 communities throughout the country, editors at livability.com have listed Eugene in the top 10 most appealing, inviting and vibrant downtowns.
“Eugene’s downtown district serves as the center for creativity and culture, and that’s for a whole region, not just the city,” the website stated.
“A city’s heart and soul revolve around its downtown district,” livability.com’s spokesperson John Hood@@http://www.prweb.com/releases/livability/top_10_downtowns/prweb8850671.htm@@ said.
Even so, Nan Laurence@@http://www.linkedin.com/pub/nan-laurence/13/729/617@@, senior planner for the City of Eugene, said the city is working on a number of projects downtown to make the city even more inviting. As part of the urban renewal plan the city has laid out, the Downtown Lighting Initiative Grant @@http://www.eugene-or.gov/portal/server.pt?space=CommunityPage&control=SetCommunity&CommunityID=231&PageID=4386@@began earlier this month.
“Lighting affects both the perception of safety and actual safety, such as ambient lighting from a storefront spilling out to a sidewalk or security lights after dark,” Laurence said. “We are working directly with property owners and business owners to determine the most effective location and lighting type.”
The initiative is awarding $30,000 to improve the lighting, safety and comfort along Broadway and Willamette street in the core of downtown.
“We are using urban renewal dollars at the direction of the city council to revitalize the core and to create a downtown that the entire community is proud of,” Laurence said. “We recognize that large investments, such as the new LCC downtown campus, and small investments, such as property lighting, are both essential to our efforts downtown.”
Grants up to $3,000 per location will be available to improve the lighting in these areas, and applications are due Oct. 21 by 5 p.m., and notifications of the awards will be made on Nov. 1.
The applications can be found online at www.eugene-or.gov/downtownnews
The lighting grants are just one of the many things the Urban Renewal Agency@@CE@@ is doing to make sure that Eugene continues to improve safety and appeal for visitors and residents.
Three major projects in the works — Lane Community College’s new downtown campus, the Broadway Place garages and a number of parking improvements for the Saturday Market — will also improve downtown.
“Our goal is a downtown where both visitors to our city as well as community residents stroll, eat, listen to music, browse in galleries or shops — in short, a well-designed, inviting, urban environment,” Laurence said.
While the city continues to work on a variety of issues outlined by the urban renewal plan, such as storefronts, lighting and overall safety, the number nine spot on the top 10 list did surprise some students.
“I feel like Eugene is a lovely student town. Very dynamic and diverse, but to be ninth in the country is a push,” University freshman Sian Kavanagh@@CE@@ said. “There are so many other beautiful cities in the country.”
Although some students were surprised by the ranking, others agreed with the website that Eugene “keeps residents on the cutting edge of culture.”
“Eugene is a great place to live,” University junior Allison Moore@@CE@@ said. “I love all the things Eugene has to offer when it comes to sports, concert venues and markets.”