During the fall 2010 academic term at the University of Oregon, five groups of
three students in an architecture studio course worked with the City of Salem to
develop five schemes for the redevelopment of the North Downtown Waterfront.
The students investigated existing site conditions and a variety of factors
influencing development of this particular part of Salem. These investigations
led the students to focus on some key issues that would be addressed by the
broad range of the groups’ design schemes, including:
• The Commercial Street barrier, currently blocking access to the Willamette
River, particularly for bicyclists and pedestrians
• A significantly underutilized Mill Creek
• The rail line on Front Street
• The potential for direct connections to other parts of Salem, via bike paths
along waterways, Union Street for east/west connections, or Liberty Street
for downtown accessibility
With these issues in mind, groups began to branch out into their own particular
visions of what the area could become in the future. Each group took an
individual approach and worked toward a unique scheme, but all students
stressed the importance of a few common elements:
• Including special public places within the site
• Encouraging a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly environment
• Moving toward a more sustainable community, including green streets,
bioswales, and ecological preservation of the creek and river habitat
• Creating an overall mixed-use district that would help to form a unique and
inviting community for Salem residents and visitors
This report documents the students’ investigations into current conditions and
possible future scenarios.
Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.
Sustainable City Year Program Contact Info
Megan Banks
Sustainable City Year Program Manager
mbanks@uoregon.edu
(541) 346-6395
University Faculty Contact
Nico Larco
Architecture
nlarco@uoregon.edu
Local Government / Community Contact
Courtney Knox
Urban Development Senior Project Manager