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59 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, April 20, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 20, 2005 MURA signs off on land for SOU-RCC building ... almost By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The Medford Urban Renewal Agency board has decided to give most of a downtown block, worth about $555,000, to two local academic institutions, pending state funding. Rogue Community College and Southern Oregon University plan to pair up for an education center in downtown Medford, and MURA’s decision puts another piece into place. "We are so grateful," said SOU President Elisabeth Zinser. "Talk about stars lining up here." The MURA board held a special meeting Tuesday to agree to give the property, which has the former Oak Merchant and Miller Motors buildings on it, to the schools — free of charge. But it’s not a done deal. Advertisement "It authorizes the transfer if we agree on the terms," Dan Thorndike, MURAs attorney, told the board Tuesday. He said terms are to be negotiated, and if the project doesn’t move forward as planned, MURA keeps the property. Between Riverside Avenue and Bartlett Street and Eighth and Ninth Streets, the property has the condemned building that was formerly the Oak Merchant furniture store. MURA purchased it in July for $215,000. The other building is the former Miller Motors, which the agency purchased in November for $340,000. Another structure on the block is an existing RCC building. According to Zinser, the project would cost an estimated $23.3 million. The SOU portion would be $11.8 million, and RCC’s part would be $11.5 million. Each institution hopes to get about half their amount from state-funded bonds. RCC would use some of the money from a $24 million bond levy that voters OK’d in November. The university can raise about half a million from their own foundation, and hopes to use scarce state general fund money to pay for around $2.5 million. SOU holds classes at Medford’s high schools, The Job Council, RCC and other scattered sites, said Zinser. This project means a centralized location. Though several pieces still need to fall in place, once funding is secured, designs can be drawn up. The building would feature separate and shared spaces for the two schools. Demolition of the existing buildings would happen once plans are drawn, said Jim Main, vice president of finance and administration at SOU. He said shovels could hit the dirt fall 2007 at the earliest. Gov. Ted Kulongoski has urged increased cooperation between two- and four-year schools because many students attend community colleges and universities after high school. Officials from RCC and SOU hope their plan fits that goal. MURA Director Kurt Olsen said the agency would contribute the streetscape, including sidewalks, lampposts, trees and street improvements. "This project will be similar to the arrangements we made with the library," said Olsen. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Distance Education Diamonds Online Poker Slippers Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Tatoos Advertisement s