Downtown Riverfront

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Eugene’s Downtown Riverfront is transforming into the community’s long-held vision of a vibrant, active, and accessible riverfront district filled with community destinations. The redevelopment of the Downtown Riverfront has been a part of the community’s vision for decades, reinforced through numerous public engagement opportunities over several years. The City's Urban Renewal Agency leads the redevelopment of the 16 acres of riverfront property that will become Eugene’s Riverfront Neighborhood – directly connecting our Downtown and Campus to the Willamette River and creating more access points for the community to enjoy. 

A number of initiatives are underway, bringing us closer to the transformation of the Downtown Riverfront property. Explore below to find out the latest about the Riverfront Park, the Steam Plant, the vertical redevelopment led by Atkins Dame, Inc., and how you can get involved.

  1. Latest News
  2. Atkins Dame, Inc.
  3. Steam Plant
  4. Riverfront Park
  5. Get Involved

Neighborhood Development

In 2020, Atkins Dame Inc. (formerly Williams/Dame and Associates) entered into a development agreement with the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene that will guide development of the new neighborhood. The sale of the development parcels is split into three phases. Atkins Dame closed on the first set of parcels in October 2021 and the second set of parcels in December 2022. The final parcel sale will happen by December 2023, for a total purchase price of $11.1 million. 


Atkins Dame started construction on the “Heartwood” project on (Parcel 7 See Map) in August 2022. Located on 5th Avenue just east of the viaduct, this first building will be four stories with 95 market rate apartment homes. The project is expected to be completed in early 2024. Construction on the “Portal” (Parcel 3B/3C See Map) is scheduled to start in 2023. A new community with 130 market rate apartment homes located at the southwest intersection of 4th Avenue and Mill Street.


Atkins Dame applied for Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemptions (MUPTE) and on March 9, 2022, City Council approved the applications for their first three proposed projects (Heartwood, The Portal and, parcel 9). In total, the projects would result in the addition of 381 new market-rate residential units on the Downtown Riverfront.


Riverfront Park

The Riverfront Park is now open. Construction of the park started in May 2020 and was completed in June 2022. Park improvements include river overlooks, walking paths, the new section of bike path, decks, seating areas, stormwater treatment, new native vegetation and much more. The City is now in the process of designing phase 2 of the Park, the Plaza.  (Visit the Riverfront Park website for more information.)


Virtual Tours

See the latest virtual tour updates of the Downtown Riverfront site: 

September 2021

June 8, 2021

April 30, 2021

February and March 2021


Name Our Streets!

In 2019, the City asked the community to help us name the three new streets on the Downtown Riverfront site. After an engaging process that generated more than 1,100 ideas from community members, Mayor Vinis revealed the final street names: Annie Mims Lane, Nak-nak Avenue, and Wiley Griffon Way. Visit the Engage Eugene website to learn more about the selection process and the history behind the chosen names.



  1. Background
  2. Related Plans and Policies

Since Eugene was founded in 1865, the Willamette River has been Photo by Steve Smith - Aerialimage of EWEB and Willamette Riveran essential piece of our community’s identity. It is where Eugene Skinner created the first plat for the city and for decades the river has provided industry and recreation opportunities for our community. As one of our proudest assets, our community has a long-held vision and desire to create more access and connections to the river – places where people can hangout, meet friends, and bring their family to enjoy the riverfront.

For years, Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) housed their operations on the 16-acre property along the riverfront.  In 2007, understanding the potential of this site, EWEB and the City of Eugene began the transformation process connecting Eugene’s downtown to the Willamette River and creating an active place for the entire community. 


Over a thousandEWEB Riverfront Master Plan community members provided input for the Riverfront Master Plan, which was approved by the EWEB board in 2010 and City Council in 2013. The plan outlines the creation of a world-class public park along the waterfront and reflects the community's vision for a high-quality multi-use riverfront. Creating economic and housing opportunities, promoting compact urban development, and enhancing natural resources for our community.

A key milestone for the development of the property began when EWEB decided to sell the property to the City in 2013 and the City’s Urban Renewal Agency finalized the property purchase from EWEB for $5.75 million in April 2018.  Funds for the purchase came from the Riverfront Urban Renewal District.


In June 2017, the Urban Renewal Agency signed an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Williams/Dame & Associates (now Atkins Dame Inc.) for the riverfront redevelopment property. The Agency currently has a Disposition and Development Agreement with Williams & Dame for the redevelopment of the site. See Atkins Dame Inc. section above for more information.  


On July 22, 2019, the City Council voted (7-0) to adopt the package of land use applications necessary to implement the concept plan for the Downtown Riverfront redevelopment. The package includes code amendments (CA 19-1), refinement plan amendments (RA 19-1), zone changes (Z 19-5), a Willamette River Greenway permit (WG 19-3), a tentative subdivision (ST 19-3), and a standards review (SDR 19-2). The entire land use package can be viewed and tracked using the planning land use application search page.

Contact Us

  1. Amanda D'Souza

    Development Programs Manager

    99 W 10th Ave

    Eugene, OR 97401

    Ph: 541-682-5540

    Fx: 541-682-5572

    Email