Eugene Magazine Preview: Downtown Dreamers
The following is an excerpt from the upcoming Eugene Magazine Fall Issue: The Future of Springfield, Looking at the New Developments in Springfield and What’s to Come.
To read the whole article and see a list of new and established businesses in downtown Springfield, click HERE.
Photos by Dominick Barbero, Eugene Magazine.
(Above image: The downtown dreamers: Front row: Jack Wellborn, TTK Construction/Contractors; David and Nita Loveall, Masaka Properties; Tracers Lang, Signature Plumbing; Back row: Tyson Kidder, TTK Construction; Tony and Ryan Koth, Lite Electric; Jenna Fribley, Campfire Collaborative Architecture and Design)
(above image: The downtown dreamers: Front row: Jack Wellborn, TTK Construction/Contractors; David and Nita Loveall, Masaka Properties; Tracers Lang, Signature Plumbing; Back row: Tyson Kidder, TTK Construction; Tony and Ryan Koth, Lite Electric; Jenna Fribley, Campfire Collaborative Architecture and Design)
Eugene’s Sister City boasts a cool new vibe
by Mikael Krummel
In 2006, commercial photographer David Loveall and his wife, Nita, were searching for a modest, metro-area real estate opportunity. They were looking for an affordable building that might function as a photo studio while also providing income as a multi-unit rental property. He quickly discovered that the Springfield core offered a variety of bargain-priced options, albeit risky ones.
Despite those risks, the Lovealls set their sights on the historic Washburne Building on Main Street near Pioneer Parkway. The century-old building offered two storefronts and a pair of upstairs apartments. The property needed major renovation, so to cover costs, the Lovealls took a deep breath, sold their two small rental houses, and absorbed a big tax hit by cashing out David’s 401(k).
Chamber of Commerce
In 2000, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce orchestrated a special local summit. According to former Chamber president Dan Egan, those at the summit sought to build a task force of “civic entrepreneurs.” The effort netted a nonprofit organization, the Springfield Renaissance Development Corporation (SRDC), a group of 13 citizens dedicated to “restoring the heart of the city” through fundraising and downtown redevelopment.
In 2006, the SRDC opened the Richard E. Wildish Community Theater, Springfield’s performing arts center, on Main and 6th Streets. The Wildish’s establishment was transformative and inspirational, fostering visions of a new direction for downtown. A few years later, the SRDC purchased and completely renovated a building further south on Main. The project produced a trio of commercial spaces that quickly attracted new businesses. Both SRDC projects were benchmarks for the downtown renewal dreamers.
Brewing success
There’s little argument that Plank Town Brewing has emerged as a heavyweight force for downtown renewal and optimism. That’s been the story since 2013, when Plank Town brewed its first cask of ale. Brewery owner Bart Caridio has an impressive track record of overcoming obstacles faced by start-up businesses in downtrodden neighborhoods.
Caridio planted the hugely successful Sam Bond’s Garage in the heart of Eugene’s Whiteaker area back when “The Whit” was the city’s black-eye neighborhood. He launched the now-flourishing Axe and Fiddle pub in Cottage Grove when that town’s aging retail district was in a coma.
“As for Plank Town,” Caridio says, “I’ve always liked underdogs. Just that whole Springfield thing—the jokes, the ridicule. . . . I was inspired by the people I met over here. It made me want to do something good for Springfield.”
And so he has—ushering in formidable building reconstruction and exceeding growth projections from day one. In just a handful of years, Caridio’s popular pub has established itself as an all-ages gathering spot that serves up large kegs of happiness and goodwill for Springfield families.
Back on the block
If you haven’t walked through downtown Springfield in a while, here’s a suggestion: Main Street between 3rd and 4th Streets—it gets to the heart of the matter.
First, it was Loveall’s Washburne Building near the end of the block: upscale apartments and a stylish pair of storefronts, including the Washburne Cafe. Next, the SRDC stepped in with renovated, modern, commercial offices. And then, of course, Plank Town threw down its big anchor. Now, there’s even more.
Loveall’s retail tenants in the historic Stevens-Perkins building now include Bartolotti’s Pizza Bistro, the second iteration of Eugene’s Cornbread Cafe, and Main Street Market, from the same owners as Eugene’s Friendly Street Market. Across the street, Loveall is nearing completion on another group of retail storefronts plus several street-level apartments and combination live-in/business units.
Up and down the block, newly located businesses are flourishing: a guitar shop, a tattoo parlor, a steakhouse, an Ethiopian restaurant, a custom watchmaker’s studio, a vinyl record shop, a bike shop, and even an old-school barber shop in such high demand you need an appointment for a cut.
The Booth-Kelly effect
Jenna Fribley is on nearly every Springfield developer’s list of downtown influencers. Fribley is a University of Oregon–connected architect, designer, realtor, and a principal partner in the Springfield firm Campfire Collaborative. Would it surprise you to know that her office is located in the 300 block of Main Street?
Fribley has had her hands in many of downtown’s newest commercial projects: Loveall’s apartments, Cornbread Cafe, Main Street Market, Jasper’s Tavern, an incoming “alternative sports bar,” and the pending Map Chocolate shop.
And then there’s the Booth-Kelly Makers District (BKMD). It’s an organization, a destination, a high concept, and a resource for Springfield artisans, crafts people, entrepreneurs, creatives, and makers of all kinds. Fribley played a major role establishing the BKMD. The district’s founding notion embraces the historical role played by the Booth-Kelly Mill on the south reach of downtown, a place where today, nearly a dozen thriving arts and artisan-styled business are housed in timber warehouses.
“This is a really exciting time to be downtown because it’s so tangible,” Fribley says. “I really love all the little things I’ve gotten to work on. You can see the changes every day, the differences. Every impact snowballs into another revitalization.”
Around the corner
So, what else is there to say about revitalized downtown Springfield? A lot, it turns out. If you gaze north or south from the 300 block on Main, there are a host of notable changes afoot.
To the north, you’ll find Mezza Luna Pizzeria and, next door, the outlines of a new Cornucopia location. Several food carts have sandwiched themselves into a plaza between the Dark & Stormy and Trash & Treasures. Further north are the established resources of the Emerald Art Center, the Springfield Museum, the Oregon Trail Mural, and its soon-to-be-remodeled pocket park. The City of Springfield and other players have suggested that downtown renewal could eventually extend all the way to the Paramount Center strip mall at 20th Street and Main Street.
Look south two blocks toward the Willamette River, and several buildings are potential targets for renewal. The former Springfield Railroad Station on South A Street still holds its place as a genuine Springfield landmark—in combination with the White Horse and McKenzie driftboat sculptures at the western entrance to town.
The Swallowtail Distillery is the newest kid on the south end of Main. It’s also visible to folks entering Springfield from the west. Swallowtail will open this fall as a restaurant, bar, tasting site, music and socializing venue—all popular pieces in the current downtown renewal mix.
And then there’s PublicHouse. Once it was the First Christian Church, then it morphed into a farmers market and restaurant training site. Most recently, it has carved out a niche as a multi-restaurant communal dining site and gathering place. It’s anchored by a beer hall, the Whiskey Lab pub, and the outdoor Arbor Bar.
“Abundant” is how Loveall recently characterized Springfield. “And I think it’s been proven here,” he added. “People do have their dreams. They just need opportunities.”
To read the whole article and see a list of new and established businesses in downtown Springfield, visit eugenemagazine.com.
