5 city projects we could fight about next
With a Confluence Project win behind us, here are some other collaborative projects the community can argue about think about next ...
1. Major Event Center
One misconception about the Confluence Project is that it would be built instead of a large-scale arena. That isn’t true: The community and UW-Eau Claire still need a venue for big concerts and sporting events. A white paper prepared five years ago by Clear Vision Eau Claire called for a 6,000-seat venue, while the 2011 UWEC master plan discusses working with the community to build a replacement for Zorn Arena.
2. Convention Center
Eau Claire (and the Chippewa Valley as a whole) also would benefit from having a true convention center (i.e., something other than a collection of hotel ballrooms) that could host events drawing thousands of people at a time. The Clear Vision report suggested a 100,000-square-foot center, which would be on par with the La Crosse Center. A convention center could be built in conjunction with – or separately from – a major event center.
3. Bus Transfer Center
Compared with the other projects, a new bus transfer center may seem like small potatoes. But it’s something that’s badly needed: The current shack-like transfer center on Farwell Street was meant to be temporary when it was built 30 years ago. Last fall, the Eau Claire City Council finally set aside money for a location study. Several million dollars to actually build the center still would have to be found.
4. Downtown Parking Ramp
The continued development of the North Barstow area – including the construction of the new JAMF office atop the former parking lot next to the RCU headquarters – has led the city to plan to build a parking ramp where the post office now stands. Instead of providing parking alone, such a facility could offer street-side commercial space, too.
5. West Bank Development
In recent years, the city’s Redevelopment Authority has been buying up underused land in a 30-acre area along the west bank of the Chippewa River (roughly along Oxford Avenue north of Madison Street). This eventually could be transformed into a beautiful riverside area featuring parks and trails as well as commercial and residential development.