Brian Obie, right, talks to the Albany City Council Wednesday about developing projects along Water Avenue downtown. With him are Irene Alltucker,Obie’s vice president of real estate, and Casey Obie-Barrett, chief operations officer.
A plan to have Obie Companies of Eugene consider developing part of the Albany waterfront with mixed-use buildings is moving ahead.
As expected, the Albany City Council Wednesday voted to make three city-owned parking lots on Water Avenue available for sale. The council then voted to authorize the city staff to negotiate an agreement with Obie Companies for an option to buy them.
Brian Obie, president and CEO of his companies and a former mayor of Eugene, spoke to the council about his interest in downtown Albany. With him were company executives Casey Obie-Barrett and Irene Alltucker.
They gave the council a presentation showing several projects their companies have developed in Eugene and elsewhere. Besides the Fifth Street Public Market in Eugene, the projects included apartment houses, hotels, and mixed-use buildings that house residential units along with shops, restaurants, and work spaces for business.
I couldn’t hear everything they said, but they stressed their companies’ determination to work with communities to make sure their projects meet what the neighborhoods need or want. (If you want details, I suggest you check the council meeting on YouTube.)
Once the option agreement is reached, Obie will have 18 months to acquire one, two or all three of the parking lots in the deal. The lots are on the south side of Water Avenue between Ferry Street and the Lyon Street Bridge.
The lot between the Ellsworth and Lyon street bridges is to be improved as part of the city’s Waterfront Project. But that work isn’t scheduled until summer of 2024 and can be canceled if Obie decides to buy the lot.
Anything built on these properties would have to undergo “historic review” by the Albany Landmarks Commission. Also, the city, Obie and the Downtown Association would probably work on plans do deal with the loss of parking spaces any development would cause.
It will be some time before anything actually happens on those lots. More city or council action will take place before anything does. (hh)
The screen facing the council chamber in front of Mayor Alex Johnson II Wednesday shows some of the Obie projects in Eugene and elsewhere.
Applause!
For a city that already has parking issues… SMH
There goes our waterfront and our town……this is CALLED GENTRIFICATION folks and the high cost of rents and taxes will run locals out……Glad to see our city council and mayor have THEIR best interests at heart……smfh
I agree, Peg. SM f-ing H!!! Albany is not the second largest city in the state. Eugene is…and that is the headquarters of the Obie business “Empire,” who are the tycoons who want to make a bundle off Albany’s waterfront. The Obies will be the only ones making a bundle; Albany is not a University town and its two handfuls of elites are not enough to support boutique-type, expensive-as-heck, shops and pricey restaurants, as evidenced by how empty downtown is at present. And, how empty the “Community Center” on Water Street is, since they stripped it of anything appealing to Senior Citizens. (Good thing this blog is not on Zoom, so you can’t see my sly grin as I remember something Hasso would not print.)
“…the Obie business “Empire,” who are the tycoons who want to make a bundle off Albany’s waterfront.”
BS! “They” would only make money *IF* if their venture succeeds. Their track record and reputation indicates it will… Bravo & kudos to them for wanting to help improve our waterfront! Welcome to private enterprise.
“Albany is not a University town and its two handfuls of elites are not enough to support boutique-type, expensive-as-heck, shops and pricey restaurants…”
BS#2! So why would Obie want to invest in the future of Albany?
“…as evidenced by how empty downtown is at present. And, how empty the “Community Center” on Water Street is, since they stripped it of anything appealing to Senior Citizens.”
BS#3! The downtown is hardly “empty.” And you obviously (for personal reasons) don’t visit the Riverfront Center much…
You can wallow in your dystopian reveries – and leave progress to folks with more vision aka the Obie company. We’re all better off for their attempting it…
B.S. #4. You, Ray, are so full of B.S. that your shoes squish every time you take a step!!
I typed a BS#4 comment to you, Ray, but Hasso wouldn’t print it. I’ll “wallow” in that rejection, since you are allowed to hurl all sorts of verbiage it seems. Anyway, enough of that subject. Wanted to say that Obie negotiated “no property taxes” on the properties they may buy on Albany waterfront. So, they protected their financial interests and will come out ok even if their planned development has few customers.
Oh, Oh! Pardon me, Hasso! Hasso did print my BS#4 comment to Ray K. Thanks, Hasso. I’m so used to being rejected for being too outspoken and scrappy that I jumped the gun!!!
You’re wrong again – as usual. Obie has NOT negotiated “no property taxes.”’ So far, they have “negotiated” an option to potentially pursue purchasing 1-3 lots. My “squishing shoes” feel great! How about yours? :-)
What is going on? Why does Albany need more Apartments on the waterfront using up all of our parking lots? I see Albany City Council really does not care about their citizens only their best interest do they seem to care about. Who voted these people in?
This is so exciting! People are always going to complain about something but I’m glad there’s interest to develop downtown!
Albany is ruining the waterfront .. why can’t anyone run for city council and take back our town .
If you live in Albany, you too can run for office. Simply convince enough like-minded people in your Ward to vote for you. Then convince your peers on Council to vote your way…
“take back our town” for what? so that the dilapidated area can further disintegrate and continue to have people NOT interested in visiting? we need to build UP our town, not watch it corrode into nothing…
EXACTLY, what is the City going to do with this money from this sale? Maybe fix some streets that AREN’T downtown?