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Urban Renewal Agency plans design workshop By MELISSA MARTIN Imagine a new street in downtown Medford running alongside the railroad tracks. That's what the Medford Urban Renewal Agency is doing after discovering an old city right of way and spending $500,000 to buy enough land from Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad to build a street. The urban renewal agency will hold a workshop for people who want to help design the street, along with a downtown revitalization zone called In Town Village. Evergreen Avenue may have wide, brick-like sidewalks, benches, period street lamps, flower boxes and storefront displays for people who like to window shop, said Don Burt, director of the Medford Urban Renewal Agency. New businesses might build along Evergreen, while others might remodel, Burt said. Larson's Furniture Store, for example, might want to flip its storefront around so that it faces Evergreen and offers window displays, he said. "We hope (Evergreen Avenue) encourages people to park in a lot and walk to their destination," Burt said. "And when they walk, we want that walk to be pleasant, well-lit, with interesting attractions along the way and many storefront windows to look in, like in Europe." Evergreen, Front or Fir streets could eventually extend all the way to McAndrews, with the possibility that Fir could be a one-way street. "Evergreen can provide local access and help improve connectivity in downtown Medford," Burt said. "We want to keep downtown so vehicles play a role, but not a dominant role." Besides talking about Evergreen Street, residents can offer opinions about In Town Village, a 20-block neighborhood bordered by Front, Fifth, Oakdale and Jackson streets. "The overall concept of the village would enhance the value of downtown," said Lou Budge. He is general manager of Budge-McHugh Supply Co., a family-owned wholesale plumbing business that has occupied two blocks in the village boundaries for 42 years. "My biggest concern is traffic patterns and what impact any changes might have on existing businesses," Budge said. Customers enter and exit his business from Fir Street, he said. "Making Fir a one-way street would have a detrimental effect on our customers." What the future may hold for In Town Village may range from homes being replaced by apartments to zoning changes that would allow property owners to run an office out of their home, Burt said. St. Mark's Episcopal Church, also within the village boundaries, recently purchased the former Perl Funeral Home building and is remodeling it into office and classroom space. Residents can offer their ideas Monday. "This is a workshop so people will be rolling up their sleeves and telling us what they'd like to see," Burt said. The workshop will be led by RBF Consulting of Irvine, Calif., a state-selected design company. RBF's $75,000 study was paid for by a grant from Oregon Department of Transportation and Department of Land Conservation and Development. Reach reporter Melissa Martin at 776-4497, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.