7/2/2011: UO’s efforts to stonewall and prevent public input into the riverfront research park planning process have failed, in a major victory for the http://www.connectingeugene.org/ folks. Greg Bolt reports in the RG:
But the move will cost the university. Under the new deal, Trammell Crow will pay the university $1.47 million for a 55-year ground lease. But the company will be able to take a credit of up to $550,000 against that amount to cover the cost of the building redesign, site evaluation and parking improvements.
This $550,000 is the least of it. These costs and the inordinate delays could have been avoided if the UO had sought public input from the beginning. ORI would be in their new building right now. Somehow I don’t think the central administration has learned much from this though.
Circle the wagons. Sweep mistakes under the rug. Protect the incompetent. The UO way!