Oregon State University proposes new residence hall to City of Corvallis
July 15, 2019
On July 1, Corvallis City Council held a public discussion with Oregon State University affiliates about the new residence hall project. If approved this new hall would be constructed on the open ground near the intersection of Ninth Street and Monroe Avenue on the east side of campus. According to Steve Clark, Vice President of University Relations and Marketing, the new residence hall has a budget of 50 million dollars would hold around 288 upper division and graduate level units.
A land-use request was written and given to the City of Corvallis to start the process, according to Clark. City staff reviewed the request and referred it to the Corvallis Planning Commission. The Corvallis Planning Commission approved the request and moved it to the City Council.
While University Housing and Dining Services has been pushing really hard for the approval of the project, few neighbors might have problems with the construction of the new residence hall. Roen Hogg, a former member of the Corvallis City Council, the new hall would exceed the density of the eastern sector of campus by 62 percent ,which would be going against the Campus Master Plan. Members of Central Park Neighborhood Association additionally arranged a protest on June 30 in the east side of the campus against the new residence hall with a support from over 60 people. According to Clark, who attended the protest, not all of the people participating were from the Corvallis area.
Clark believes that having an additional housing services would help the OSU community members.
“Over the past eight years, we have sought to address the many interests that the Corvallis community members and neighbors have made us aware of,” Clark said. “These include the desire for more student housing on campus, less reliance on cars and trips to campus, an increased emphasis on walking, biking and transit, and community livability and safety. Over the years, we have worked on all of these topics with city of Corvallis officials and community partners. We think this project is very much in keeping with those efforts.”