Springfield City Club

Ten years ago, there was a crisis in education in Oregon. The state ranked 49 out of 50 in student graduation rate with, by some measures, under 75 percent of students graduating within five years. The state, through the Department of Education, funded efforts to determine the cause and suggest a solution. Out of that effort came, among other initiatives, the formation of Connected Lane County. This year that organization will serve almost 4,000 youth in efforts to help them find success and a brighter future. Heidi Larwick, the Executive Director of Connected Lane County since 2016, updated City club on the organization’s success, particularly the opening of a new 11,000 square foot center at the Booth Kelly site in downtown Springfield.

Has the program succeeded? Because of the way that the state keeps statistics it is not easy to directly attribute improvements in the graduation rate to Connected Lane County programs, Ms. Larwick pointed to numerous successes which strongly suggest that there has been a positive impact as part of the increase of the graduation rate to 80 percent for the 2021-22 school year.

The first of the organization’s programs, the Elevate effort, seeks to help youth learn about the work environment. Many of the students, which connected Lane County identifies by reaching out to school counselors and teachers, but also to community groups and social service organizations, have no idea what it means to be in a work environment. The Elevate program places them in job shadows during the school year and a more intense program during the summer to help them understand what it is like to be in a work situation. A focus of this effort is to excite them about what they might want to do after graduation, whether it is to enter the work environment immediately or continue with further education.

That program, staff discovered, still missed a significant number of youths. As Ms. Larwick explained, if students don’t understand why they are expected to learn something in school they are more likely to check out. The organization created its Navigate program to address that issue, by identifying youth that had disengaged from the schools and help them to reengage and finish their education with a GED.

Most recently, in 2021 the organization added a third program, the Spark program, which builds upon the two earlier efforts by placing youth in work situations where they can develop some actual job experience in preparation for entering the workforce.

Each of these programs addresses not just the narrow range of skills needed to successfully be employed, but also the wrapround skills needed for broader social success, — how to get housing, how to get food, and other life skills.

Each of these programs tends to focus on the 14-18 age range. To address older youth, in the 18-24 year range, the organization has now developed its Excelerator program which combines the other efforts and focuses on that cohort. It is similar to a pre-apprenticeship program in that the first 150 hours of the 300-hour program provides the participants with skills and then they go to a work experience in a company for the balance of 150 hours.

An important feature of the programs is that participants have the opportunity to be paid. The organization spent over $800,000 last year to provide salaries, at $17 per hour (for participants involved in internships and other situations where youth would be unable to take advantage of the program in the absence of compensation. Ms. Larwick noted that about 10 percent of participants are unhoused.

IN response to a question, Ms. Larwick said that the organization is funded from a wide variety of sources. Originally, the funding came d=solely for the State and the program was housed at the Lane Education Services District. IN 2017 they separated from the ESD and opened a facility in Eugene. Now they have broad support from foundations and businesses and in some cases, contact with outside companies to provide services and products. She specifically noted how they provide laser cutting cervices to the Hult Center and \recently had an arrangement with Columbia Sportswear to repair jackets that had been returned by original purchasers because of failing zippers. At their existing facility in Eugene, they have equipment for laser engraving, desktop cutting equipment for small scale metal fabrication, vinyl cutters, tee shirt presses, sewing machines and sergers. The new Springfield facility will expand on these machines to offer more training experiences and product services and hopes to add equipment for training in welding. The Springfield facility will also have laundry and shower facilities to address the needs of housed participants.

To see the slide presentation offered at the program, click on the Connected Lane County presentation.

To watch the entire program on You Tube, Click Watch the Program.

It’s a remarkable development story. How can a property with a history of failed developments be designed and constructed in the middle of a global pandemic and in the face of significant challenges for fires in the forests? According to Karl Ivanov, the principal developer, and Andy Limbird, the land use planner for the City of Springfield, it depends on trust and flexibility. The City Club program on August 3 was an opportunity to see how this success happened. To view the full program on You Tube, click here: Marcola Meadows

In the center of Springfield sits a 100-acre parcel that had sat unutilized for decades while the owner waited to find the right development opportunity. In 2006 it seemed that the proposal had arrived – a mixed used development anchor by a large retail store. A master plan for that development was approved in 2008, but the collapse of the housing bubble that year doomed the proposal, and the property became bank owned.

In 2012 there seemed to be renewed hope: a proposal to site a federal medical facility surfaced and was vigorously pursued by the City. That proposal did not materialize however, and the property remained dormant, until 2018 when the property was purchased by a new development group.

As anyone who develops in Oregon knows, the state and local development process is complex, and often challenging. The property remained under the original master plan approved in 2008, but the new group had a much different vision for the property – a vision that contemplated much more residential use, and public uses such as a school and a church, with relatively little commercial uses. That makes it even more intriguing that the group purchased the property “as is” with none of the entitlements that it would need to modify the master plan, the land use designations, and the zoning to accomplish their objectives. The process generally moves rather slowly; thus it is no surprise that much work needed to be done on getting the changes needed to make development possible when, in March 2020, the City in essence shut down because of the COVID pandemic. What is a surprise to many is that in the face of that, with City staff working remotely, the developer and the City process over 14 significant land use actions over the next two years.

Equally surprising is that today the group has started or completed 226 single family homes, continues to build at the rate of over six homes per month, is almost a year ahead of schedule and within its planned budget. None of this overlooks that fact that there were real challenges to getting the project underway, including wetlands issues and storm drainage challenges arising from the reality that the land in the development is very flat and does not allow significant infiltration.

That same feature complicated sanitary sewer construction, leading to situations where some wastewater pipes have minimal cover under the streets. Both Mr. Limbird and Mr. Ivanov were very clear that success depended on something that is not too common in develop0emnt – mutual trust between the developer and the governing jurisdiction. Mr. Ivanov, the president and founder of I&E construction, said that his experience in developing projects on a national scale and the staff’s willingness to work with him enabled them to make development decisions “on the fly” without long time intervals for processing. Both Chris Goodell and Monty Hurley, principals in AKS Engineering came to the same conclusion – everyone needed to be able to think outside of the box and come up with solutions which minimized the need for long drawn out reviews. He emphasized how the first phase of residential construction was built under the existing master plan while at the same time the parties were processing plan amendments to adjust for subsequent phases.

Responding to questions, Mr. Ivanov agreed that there have been some challenges dealing with parking issues in the constructed part of the development. He said that much of that can be attributed to so many tradesmen being on the site and that problems should ease once construction is completed next year.

In response to another question h=e said that all the multi-family construction (which will include 312 apartment units), will be all electric, while natural gas can be available in the single-family homes

Ten years ago, there was a crisis in education in Oregon. The state ranked 49 out of 50 in student graduation rate with, by some measures, under 75 percent of students graduating within five years. The state, through the Department of Education, funded efforts to determine the cause and suggest a solution. Out of that effort came, among other initiatives, the formation of Connected Lane County. This year that organization will serve almost 4,000 youth in efforts to help them find success and a brighter future. Heidi Larwick, the Executive Director of Connected Lane County since 2016, updated City club on the organization’s success, particularly the opening of a new 11,000 square foot center at the Booth Kelly site in downtown Springfield.

Has the program succeeded? Because of the way that the state keeps statistics it is not easy to directly attribute improvements in the graduation rate to Connected Lane County programs, Ms. Larwick pointed to numerous successes which strongly suggest that there has been a positive impact as part of the increase of the graduation rate to 80 percent for the 2021-22 school year.

The first of the organization’s programs, the Elevate effort, seeks to help youth learn about the work environment. Many of the students, which connected Lane County identifies by reaching out to school counselors and teachers, but also to community groups and social service organizations, have no idea what it means to be in a work environment. The Elevate program places them in job shadows during the school year and a more intense program during the summer to help them understand what it is like to be in a work situation. A focus of this effort is to excite them about what they might want to do after graduation, whether it is to enter the work environment immediately or continue with further education.

That program, staff discovered, still missed a significant number of youths. As Ms. Larwick explained, if students don’t understand why they are expected to learn something in school they are more likely to check out. The organization created its Navigate program to address that issue, by identifying youth that had disengaged from the schools and help them to reengage and finish their education with a GED.

Most recently, in 2021 the organization added a third program, the Spark program, which builds upon the two earlier efforts by placing youth in work situations where they can develop some actual job experience in preparation for entering the workforce.

Each of these programs addresses not just the narrow range of skills needed to successfully be employed, but also the wrapround skills needed for broader social success, — how to get housing, how to get food, and other life skills.

Each of these programs tends to focus on the 14-18 age range. To address older youth, in the 18-24 year range, the organization has now developed its Excelerator program which combines the other efforts and focuses on that cohort. It is similar to a pre-apprenticeship program in that the first 150 hours of the 300-hour program provides the participants with skills and then they go to a work experience in a company for the balance of 150 hours.

An important feature of the programs is that participants have the opportunity to be paid. The organization spent over $800,000 last year to provide salaries, at $17 per hour (for participants involved in internships and other situations where youth would be unable to take advantage of the program in the absence of compensation. Ms. Larwick noted that about 10 percent of participants are unhoused.

IN response to a question, Ms. Larwick said that the organization is funded from a wide variety of sources. Originally, the funding came d=solely for the State and the program was housed at the Lane Education Services District. IN 2017 they separated from the ESD and opened a facility in Eugene. Now they have broad support from foundations and businesses and in some cases, contact with outside companies to provide services and products. She specifically noted how they provide laser cutting cervices to the Hult Center and \recently had an arrangement with Columbia Sportswear to repair jackets that had been returned by original purchasers because of failing zippers. At their existing facility in Eugene, they have equipment for laser engraving, desktop cutting equipment for small scale metal fabrication, vinyl cutters, tee shirt presses, sewing machines and sergers. The new Springfield facility will expand on these machines to offer more training experiences and product services and hopes to add equipment for training in welding. The Springfield facility will also have laundry and shower facilities to address the needs of housed participants.

To see the slide presentation offered at the program, click on the Connected Lane County presentation.

To watch the entire program on You Tube, Click Watch the Program.

It’s a remarkable development story. How can a property with a history of failed developments be designed and constructed in the middle of a global pandemic and in the face of significant challenges for fires in the forests? According to Karl Ivanov, the principal developer, and Andy Limbird, the land use planner for the City of Springfield, it depends on trust and flexibility. The City Club program on August 3 was an opportunity to see how this success happened. To view the full program on You Tube, click here: Marcola Meadows

In the center of Springfield sits a 100-acre parcel that had sat unutilized for decades while the owner waited to find the right development opportunity. In 2006 it seemed that the proposal had arrived – a mixed used development anchor by a large retail store. A master plan for that development was approved in 2008, but the collapse of the housing bubble that year doomed the proposal, and the property became bank owned.

In 2012 there seemed to be renewed hope: a proposal to site a federal medical facility surfaced and was vigorously pursued by the City. That proposal did not materialize however, and the property remained dormant, until 2018 when the property was purchased by a new development group.

As anyone who develops in Oregon knows, the state and local development process is complex, and often challenging. The property remained under the original master plan approved in 2008, but the new group had a much different vision for the property – a vision that contemplated much more residential use, and public uses such as a school and a church, with relatively little commercial uses. That makes it even more intriguing that the group purchased the property “as is” with none of the entitlements that it would need to modify the master plan, the land use designations, and the zoning to accomplish their objectives. The process generally moves rather slowly; thus it is no surprise that much work needed to be done on getting the changes needed to make development possible when, in March 2020, the City in essence shut down because of the COVID pandemic. What is a surprise to many is that in the face of that, with City staff working remotely, the developer and the City process over 14 significant land use actions over the next two years.

Equally surprising is that today the group has started or completed 226 single family homes, continues to build at the rate of over six homes per month, is almost a year ahead of schedule and within its planned budget. None of this overlooks that fact that there were real challenges to getting the project underway, including wetlands issues and storm drainage challenges arising from the reality that the land in the development is very flat and does not allow significant infiltration.

That same feature complicated sanitary sewer construction, leading to situations where some wastewater pipes have minimal cover under the streets. Both Mr. Limbird and Mr. Ivanov were very clear that success depended on something that is not too common in develop0emnt – mutual trust between the developer and the governing jurisdiction. Mr. Ivanov, the president and founder of I&E construction, said that his experience in developing projects on a national scale and the staff’s willingness to work with him enabled them to make development decisions “on the fly” without long time intervals for processing. Both Chris Goodell and Monty Hurley, principals in AKS Engineering came to the same conclusion – everyone needed to be able to think outside of the box and come up with solutions which minimized the need for long drawn out reviews. He emphasized how the first phase of residential construction was built under the existing master plan while at the same time the parties were processing plan amendments to adjust for subsequent phases.

Responding to questions, Mr. Ivanov agreed that there have been some challenges dealing with parking issues in the constructed part of the development. He said that much of that can be attributed to so many tradesmen being on the site and that problems should ease once construction is completed next year.

In response to another question h=e said that all the multi-family construction (which will include 312 apartment units), will be all electric, while natural gas can be available in the single-family homes

Springfield has completed the land assembly process for new development in the riverfront area of Glenwood, according to Economic Development Manager, Allie Camp. In combination with private and public sector partners, the group now controls about 30 acres in the northeast corner of Glenwood and has begun the Master Planning process which will give increased definition to the goals set out in the Glenwood Refinement Plan, she said. That process is expected to take about 18 months. Glenwood, which is an urban renewal area, and the Downtown Urban Renewal Area, which extends to 23^rd Street, are the two focus areas for near term economic development. To see the slide presentation at the August 17 City Club, click: Slides. To view the entire program on You Tube, click: August 17 presentation.

Longer term areas of interest include both the North Gateway area, and the region south of 298^th Street near the Springfield Mill Race, which were recently brought within the Urban Growth Boundary. Those areas, however, require additional planning work before they can be available for future development. Those efforts are important, however, she said, since at present the City has very few large areas of commercial or industrial buildable land. Right now, she added, most commercial or industrial buildable land is concentrated in very small parcels.

One unfortunate development is the decision to revisit the proposed Blue McKenzie development, which the Springfield Economic Development Agency decided, in June, will not move forward as previously envisioned. SEDA will continue to search for suitable opportunities to bring more housing to downtown. Most of the area of the Downtown Urban Renewal Plan is zoned community commercial, is a very flexible zoning standard. Thus, she said, while other factors may exist to keep property owners from moving to develp0, the question of zoning is not one.

In Glenwood, while not within the master plan area, phase II of the Franklin Boulevard project, which proposes improvements to that street from the west of the current improvements in the direction of the City limits, has reach the 60 percent design level and now awaits efforts to secure additional funding to move it toward completion of design and construction. In response to a question, she said that the residential area of Glenwood, south of Franklin Boulevard, is not part of current development efforts. She reported that the Glenwood Transfer Station is the subject of discussion at the Lane County Board of Commissioners, and that the City is following those discussions closely to see how any action might enhance further Glenwood development.

Describing the City’s economic development program in general, Ms. Camp pointed to three areas. One important aspect of the program is the legislative effort led by Sam Kelly-Quattrocchi, the City’s Legislative and Economic Development Analyst. The aspect addresses both State and federal legislative efforts to secure additional funding for activities which support economic development.

Vahana Horn is the Economic Development Officer and the Property Manager for the City of Springfield. Her economic lens is focused on local and small business, with her concentration area being on the ever-changing landscape of Downtown Springfield. She maintains coinciding Discover Downtown Springfield websites and Facebook pages and leads quarterly business meetups.

The financial engine that drives economic development in the Glenwood and Downtown areas is the ability to use tax increment financing to support development. In both urban renewal areas the tax base was frozen at the time of creation of the urban renewal district and any additional property tax revenue generated is available to SEDA to support economic development activities. The two major uses of that funding are to support debt service which allows the agency to raise capital funds and the use of the tax increment revenue to pay for local systems development charges imposed by the City in the urban renewal areas to reduce the cost of development.