Project Description
The Park Blocks are at the heart of Eugene. Dedicated for public use in 1853 by the city’s founding families, the park still pulses with creativity and energy at Eugene Saturday Market and Lane County Farmers Market. However, during the rest of the week, our most central civic space is often underutilized.
A new Town Square concept plan was developed through a public involvement process that included a series of engagement and feedback events in 2019 and early 2020. This concept plan reimagines the Park Blocks as a dynamic public place that will bring the diverse Eugene community together year-round. The Northwest Park Block, which has been covered for decades by a parking garage, will be restored to provide a permanent home to the Lane County Farmers Market and a new site for the Eugene City Hall.
The Town Square Concept Plan envisions a welcoming, safe and festive Park Blocks. It will be the front porch of our city, our civic center; a beautiful place to gather, play and celebrate our community.
Concept Plan
The concept for the Town Square developed throughout 2019, expanding through a series of community involvement events and culminating in the final concept plan.
View the concept plan here, or dig into the full concept report to learn more about the design process.
Public Involvement
Throughout 2019 into early 2020, the City hosted three events to gather community feedback on the proposed changes and designs.
- On February 4th, 2020, the Eugene community gathered at Whirled Pies for a progress update on the Town Square. The event included new drawings for the Farmers Market, four different concept options for the City Hall and explored ways that we can show off Eugene’s rich and diverse culture in our most central public space.
- On September 12th, 2019, the community gathered together in the East Park Block to enjoy performances and refreshments while reviewing the draft final concept design for the Eugene Town Square. Over 200 people attended the event, and combined with the online survey, over 650 people weighed-in on the final concept.
- On July 18th, 2019, over 500 community members gathered at the Town Square Block Party in the West Park Block to review the three design concepts and share their ideas. The Town Square Block Party was the culmination of several weeks of meetings, community outreach, listening and designing to develop three options for the future of Town Square. Over 1,000 survey results showed that Eugene is ready to refresh our Town Square while honoring the key elements that define it.