On April 27, the Eugene City Council approved major design elements of the new City Hall, including a very high level of energy efficiency targeting LEED Gold certification, and a number of features that give the building a strong civic presence, character and quality. These include the south facing double-skin façade and the use of red cedar recycled from the former building. The Council decided not to upgrade the seismic resistance above what is required by code, and also decided against enclosed offices for City Councilors in this initial phase of the project.
The Council action enables the project team to move forward with construction documents in May and bidding in June. The team will return to the City Council in late June or early July to request authorization for the increased project budget, estimated to be $24-25 million. Construction is scheduled to start in early fall.
Presentation materials and other project information are available at http://www.eugene-or.gov/2909/Design-Update