Titan Court

 

Titan Court - September 18, 2012 (my photo)

Titan Court, the student housing component of the new Lane Community College Downtown Campus project, officially opened to much fanfare this past Tuesday. Hundreds attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, enjoyed refreshments, and toured the facility.

As chronicled on this blog, I’ve been a member of the large project team responsible for the design and construction of the college’s new downtown campus. So it was particularly satisfying to arrive at opening day, a true milestone, one which may be remembered years from now as a tipping point toward the resurgence of downtown Eugene.

For those who are not close to the project, it’s difficult to appreciate how much vision, tireless effort, good fortune, and planning were necessary for its realization. It was a mere 17 months ago that the site upon which Titan Court now stands was an eyesore, one of the forsaken “pits” that blemished the downtown core. Kudos to Lane Community College for its commitment to and substantial investment in our urban center. The vibrancy that the residents of Titan Court will bring to the neighborhood is certain to pay dividends in the future by attracting additional investment and energy to the heart of the city.

 

Lane Community College president Mary Spilde addresses the audience at the Titan Court grand opening ceremony (my photo)

While my firm, Robertson/Sherwood/Architects, serves as Architect-of-Record and handles the bulk of construction administration duties, much of the design credit for Titan Court goes to our collaborators, Pyatok Architects and the SRG Partnership. We’re very thankful we’ve enjoyed such an outstanding association with these talented firms.

Thanks too to Lease Crutcher Lewis LLC, the project’s construction manager/general contractor, and to Gerding Edlen, the project manager. Everyone involved with the project—design team, builders, project managers, and client—truly worked together to produce Titan Court.

Of course, we’ve only completed half of the Downtown Campus; the Academic Building remains under construction. Its grand opening is scheduled for early January, and everyone is looking forward to similar success and celebration at that time. Ultimately, the project will be a LEED-certified (Gold for Titan Court, Platinum for the Academic Building) showcase for Lane Community College, a paragon of sustainability and urbanism. I’ll continue to blog on the project’s progress, so stay tuned.

 

Kitchen of a 4-bedroom unit (photo by David Loveall Photography)

Here’s an excerpt from the college’s news release on the occasion of Titan Court’s grand opening:   

. . . The opening marks years of careful planning, effective partnerships and the support of both the business community and the citizens of Lane County as a whole.

“This is an exciting milestone in the Downtown Campus project,” said Lane President Mary Spilde. “This will bring new residents to downtown. This supports our mission of student success and contributes to the success of downtown, our business community, and the entire college community.”

“It has truly been thrilling to watch Titan Court go up and we couldn’t be more excited about our new neighbors,” said Eugene Public Library Services Director Connie Bennett.

Titan Court ushers in a new chapter for Lane’s growth and development as well as a significant impact on business and commerce. According to Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce President Dave Hauser, these new residents could represent an annual economic impact of nearly $1 million.

"The investment in the LCC Downtown Campus along with the influx of new residents of Titan Court will add to the critical mass needed to make our downtown successful,” said Hauser.

Many see the impact Titan Court residents will have as extending beyond new business to actually being a part of an overall effort to reclaim downtown from disuse, disinvestment and disinterest and transform it into the vibrant heart of the Eugene community.

“I think it’s great to have these new faces downtown and am very optimistic about what this means for business and for our community,” said Tom Kamis, owner of The Davis Restaurant & Bar. “We are even keeping them in mind when we set our new menu prices.” 

 

View of interior courtyard. Titan Court is to the left; the Academic wing is to the right (photo credit: Cory Timmons)

Vacancies remain at Titan Court. If you're a student interested in a unique downtown housing opportunity, you owe it to yourself to check out Titan Court. Eligible tenants are LCC, University of Oregon, and Northwest Christian University students. Prices are $620 per person for four-bedroom units, and $875 for studio apartments. The apartments are fully furnished, with utilities covered, cable television, Internet access, and there is an on-site laundry, community room, and shared lounges. Apply at www.titancourt.com/applynow/.