While it is oftentimes easier to agree on what we don't want in our communities, over several hundred participants in last weekend's Franklin Corridor and Riverfront planning workshop, February 2nd and 3rd, generally agreed on some very big issues. The workshop was held as part of the American Institute of Architects AIA150, it's 150-year celebration, and a part of AIA's national Blueprint for America. The workshop was cosponsored by the AIA Southwestern Oregon Chapter, the City of Eugene, the University of Oregon and the Lane Transit District.

At Friday nights' reception, over 200 people gathered together to learn how other communities have developed their boulevards, waterfronts, millraces, and downtown parks. The also had a chance to see the variety of proposals that have been created for the 3 1/2 mile Franklin corridor and Riverfront area - from plans for opening the millrace in Eugene's courthouse district to redeveloping Glenwood's waterfront. Then, on Saturday, 120 participants spent 7 hours drafting their own development proposals for the corridor.

The most compelling proposals came from the four groups that addressed the natural and transportation system linking Eugene and Springfield. In terms of natural system, two groups of local residents, designers, and city staff working independently of each other generated similar concepts. Above all, they determined that the Willamette riverfront should be open to the public along its full length through the corridor, from the EWEB property through Glenwood. While the dimensions varied between 150 and 250 feet in width, the idea was that a southside greenway with appropriate bike and pedestrian paths along the river was essential.

The members of the Natural Resource subgroup discussing and drawing up mapping for the riverfront green belt and its watershed characteristics in the Franklin commercial corridor

These groups also wanted to connect Eugene and Springfield to the river by way of "Green Fingers". They saw green open space as a continuation of the existing streets and park blocks connecting the city to the Willamette River. These would be real parks, with green nature rather than gray concrete. They also proposed to rebuild the millrace along the corridor to act as a amenity for the interface with the river's dynamic watershed.

Similarly, two groups dealing with transportation linkages proposed nearly identical solutions for rebuilding Franklin in a way that accommodates its multiple users - local and thru traffic, pedestrians, bikes, and busses. These groups proposed converting Franklin into a multi-way boulevard, with slow-moving access on the side and thru traffic (vehicles and busses) in the Middle. These boulevards have been used successfully in communities around the world and transform arterial streets, which Franklin is, from an eyesore that development turns its back on to a landscaped boulevard that attracts appropriate infill and mi8xed-use buildings. One group called it a "great boulevard for a great city". Both group showed how a multi-way boulevard could work in Eugene's Walnut Station Area and throughout much of Glenwood. Interestingly, the two groups also realigned Franklin in Glenwood to accommodate more appropriately scaled projects along the river on the northside.

In addition to reviewing these linking systems, several groups mde proposals for specific districts in the corridor. Two groups studied Eugene's emerging Courthouse District and created plans that connected the downtown tot eh river with a extension of the park blocks in order to weave together natural systems and the urban fabric. They also proposed opening the millrace and incorporating mixed-use commercial and residential buildings in the district. Like the groups that studied the natural systems, both courthouse groups wanted to keep the riverfront open to the public as a parkway or esplanade.

Three groups studied the East Eugene area, which spans from Walnut Street to the University of Oregon. They all wanted the street converted to a multi-way boulevard to attract more mixed use and pedestrian scaled development while also accommodating thru traffic. Likewise, an interface with the existing millrace was described as a natural attraction and a desirable urban historic waterway, that connects the city with the river. And they all approved of increasing the density of building along Franklin Boulevard. This could b an option to expanding the City's Urban Growth Boundary while creating an attractive boulevard with more residential and commercial development. But they wanted to do this in a way that preserved the integrity of existing neighborhoods along Franklin Boulevard.

Eugene City Councilor, Alan Zelenka, listens to property owners, business owners, neighbors, city staff and architects exploring bus rapid transit growth and projected UO campus expansion on Franklin Boulevard.

Two more groups studied Glenwood and created visionary proposals that address the river and the road. In addition to suggesting the Franklin be converted into a multi-way boulevard, they also made persuasive drawings that incorporated large traffic circles at the west and east ends of Glenwood. The connected Glenwood to eh northside of the Willamette with a new pedestrian foot bridge. These groups also kept public open space along the waterfront with infill development over the long term structured aroun the existing grid system that connects the neighborhoods across Franklin Boulevard. They saw the boulevard and the river as unifying elements that could support sustainable developments including mixed-use buildings and open space.

What the participants have developed is an emerging set of values that helps guide and inform planning a commercial corridor and its riverfront. All too often, development is driven by competing interests that all have their own language - engineers, architects, environmentalists, developers, planners, property owners, attorneys and real estate agents all speak different languages. Our corridor needs a "common" language for design that addresses our shared values and common interests as expressions of principles, guidelines, or patterns that can guide future development of the corridor. The recent AIA150, Blueprint for America, Workshop was the first step in developing these common patterns: a public waterfront, a restored millrace, park blocks and green space to the river, multi-way boulevards, mixed-use boulevard buildings, and uninterrupted east-west bike paths. The AIASWO will host another workshop on April 13 and 14 in Springfield's historic train depot. Below is a more detailed schedule for the upcoming activities:

• Presentation for Springfield Rotary, Springfield OR, 11:45-1:00, 3/14/07.
• Presentation for Springfield Greeters / Chamber of Commerce, 3/07.
• Presentation for Eugene Rotary, Eugene, 12:00, River Ranch Restaurant 3/9/07
• Presentation for American Society of Landscape Architects,12-1:30, Eugene 3/15/07.
• Community Workshop Charrette, Springfield Depot, 4/13 and 4/14/ 07.
• Draft Report of Preliminary Findings to Eugene City Council, 5/07.
• Draft Report of Preliminary Findings, Springfield City Council, 5/07.
• Draft Report to Lane Transit District, 5/07.
• Draft Report to Lane County Commissioners, 6/07.
• Final Franklin Blvd Corridor and Riverfront Study Report, 1/1/08.