Special Project Oversight Committee (SPOC) Report #1

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Courthouse Square PRESENTING http: //www. open. org/mcboc/c square/ Your new Salem Area Transit mall and Marion County offices will soon be under construction on the downtown block bounded by High, Court, Church and Chemeketa streets. This long awaited project will mean bus passengers can make their transfers under cover in a pteasant mall, and traffic and pedestrians can move more easily with the buses no tonger using two lanes of High Street. Many county offices will be consolidated downtown instead of being in several locations around the city. Most of the current Marion County Courthouse, across Court Street from the new Courthouse Square, will be reserved for expansion of the criminal and civil courts. Much of the funding for the project will come from a Federal Transit Administration grant of ~ nearly $ 9.3 million. Marion County acquired the land over a period of years and sold 42% of it to Salem Area Transit, forming the partnership necessary to build the $27 million project. Marion County will fund its portion of the costs through a sale of revenue bonds repaid over 25 years with general funds and through revenue from leasing office space in the new structure to private firms. The transit mall and county offices will cover the southern part of the block. The northern section of the block will be available to a private developer for retail or other compatible uses. Underground parking will extend over the full btock under the buildings. Cl~eck this messa~e from Randy Franke, Chair of the Marion County Board of Commissioners, a recent press release , the make up of the county and transit staff~roject team, the charter for the team's work, and the organizational chart. You can also check the most recent architechtural drawing~, ~hotos, and u~date on Courthouse Square. Return to Marion Countv Home Pa~e Return to Salem Area Transit Home Pa~e 1 of 1 12/10/97 1:00 PM