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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend August 11, 2006 Middleford plans move forward By Meg Landers Mail Tribune Lithia Motors will take responsibility for building park space and a parking garage in addition to its two 10-story office buildings under tentative plans for Middleford Commons revealed Thursday during a joint study session with the Medford City Council and Medford Urban Renewal Agency board. Bill Hoke, Medford's economic developer and deputy city manager, said representatives from the city, MURA and Lithia have been meeting several times each week for the past several months and are on schedule to sign a development agreement to build the $169 million, multi-block Middleford Commons. The mixed-use project is planned for the area between Central and Riverside avenues and Jackson and Sixth streets, currently occupied predominantly by Lithia's car dealerships. Details of retail and residential space are yet to be worked out, but Lithia Motors' corporate headquarters would provide the anchor. MURA will contribute $14.1 million to the project, which will go toward property acquisition and purchasing spaces in the parking structure, Hoke said. Lithia will construct the park space and transfer it to the city, said Hoke, and the city's Parks and Recreation Department will create a maintenance plan. Advertisement He said Lithia, as the developer, will construct some of surrounding streets and sidewalks, and the Medford Water Commission will contribute money to replace the small, 100-year-old water lines in the neighborhood. Hoke said the "disposition and development agreement," or "DDA," as officials refer to it, is set to come back to the council for review at the next study session in two weeks, and will outline phases and a timeline for the project. Mark Rivers, a real estate developer from Boise, Idaho, said Lithia wants to be fully moved in to its new headquarters early in 2009, after the existing Lithia Dodge dealership has moved out to a 133-acre site on Highway 62 near the Medford airport. Rivers was the developer for the BoDo redevelopment project in Boise, Idaho, which is similar in many ways to the plans MURA and Lithia have for Middleford Commons. After the meeting, Rivers said there are no details or cost estimates at this time, but the parking garage will be an expensive undertaking. The five-story, 390-space Evergreen parking structure opened in December and cost MURA $10.2 million. Councilman Jason Anderson asked when the work force housing component of Middleford Commons is scheduled to be built. Rivers said it would probably happen in 2009-2010. "We're looking at sequencing these (phases) as close to each other as possible," Rivers said. Councilman John Statler asked about the status of purchasing property in the project area. "We wouldn't be doing any property acquisitions until the DDA is signed," said Dick Entinger, MURA board member. Related Stories: 04-07-2006 - MURA meeting extended 04-18-2006 - Giving MURA a hand 07-12-2006 - Middleford Commons is forum topic 07-13-2006 - Downtown Face Lift 08-09-2006 - Middleford Commons will be the focus of a joint study session at noon Thursday 08-11-2006 - Middleford plans move forward 08-20-2006 - Middleford: Lithia takes the lead 09-07-2006 - Middleford receives approval from MURA 09-08-2006 - Council OKs Middleford Commons 09-10-2006 - A refresher on Middleford 10-18-2006 - State says Lithia needn't pay prevailing wages 11-16-2006 - Election aids Middleford property owners FORUM - Discuss this topic in our forum. Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Entertainment Guide Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Men's Clothing Debt Help