City asking GSA to explain holdup on courthouse

The mystery continued Monday as city officials tried to sort out the reasons behind the General Services Administration's 11th-hour decision to hold off on buying city-owned land for a long-anticipated $70 million courthouse in Eugene.

Only three weeks ago, Mayor Jim Torrey got an e-mail from a GSA official that indicated that the city and the agency were on track to begin construction at the site of the old Agripac cannery.

In the Sept. 2 message, GSA Assistant Regional Administrator Robin Graf praised the city's ongoing cooperation.

"As always, we appreciate our relationship with the City of Eugene and eagerly anticipate the construction and completion of the new courthouse," wrote Graf, who signed the document two years ago that committed the GSA to buy the land from the city.

Torrey said he had no advance warning of last Friday's announcement that the GSA had concerns about public support for the courthouse, street construction around the site, parking and future development in the area. The agency has put the land purchase on hold until it has more information on the city's plans.

"What would have happened between Sept. 2 and Sept. 19 that wouldn't have at least justified a phone call or letter?" Torrey said. "It makes you question the rationale for the steps they've taken. Why wait until 4 o'clock on Friday afternoon to say it? Why not put it in the form of writing?"

City officials are asking the GSA for a written list of specific concerns so the city staff can solve the problems, he said.

A six-page memorandum of agreement sealed in March 2001 spells out each side's obligations for the land deal to go through. But it doesn't mention anything about street, parking and development requirements. Instead, it simply requires the city to acquire the land and clear the site, which the city has done, and sets no deadlines.

The surprise timing of last week's delay and lack of details on the GSA concerns has led some to question whether the motivation behind the postponement is prudence or politics. The courthouse design has come under public and vocal criticism for not including a disabled access ramp.

Eugene Organ, president of Lane Independent Living Alliance, said he sees the delay as an attempt to frighten the public into thinking the federal government may scuttle the project because advocates are pushing so hard for a ramp.

U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said he intends to look behind the scenes to discover whether the delay comes from the professional ranks of GSA planners and builders or from Jon Kvistad, the agency's regional administrator in Auburn, Wash. Kvistad is a political appointee.

"There is some mischief afoot. We've got to get to the bottom of what is really going on here," DeFazio said. "This is all very irregular."

Kvistad is away from his office all week and unavailable for comment, a spokeswoman said. U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan, who has been instrumental in developing the courthouse plan, has repeatedly declined to comment about the project in recent weeks. He declined again Monday.

But GSA spokesman Peter Gray said he is surprised by claims of political manipulation. "I would respectfully completely disagree with the congressman," Gray said.

The agency chose to be public with its latest concerns because the courthouse is such a large public project, he said. To address such things behind the scenes with city officials might be interpreted as back-room deal making, he said.

The GSA is working to schedule meetings with city workers and leaders to resolve problems with the project before committing more money to build the courthouse, he said. Congress already has approved money for the courthouse construction and budget constraints didn't cause the delay, Gray said.

The controversy over accessibility to the building is under review and a decision on redesigning the entrance will come in late October, Gray said. The issue "will resolve itself," he said.

Although proponents of the ramp are the most public example of lagging community support, Gray said the GSA's concern runs deeper.

"The word 'community' was used in the broadest sense," he said. "The community is represented by both its leaders and its citizens and the groups that have been involved in the recent meetings, and certainly the newspaper."

The Register-Guard has published at least eight editorials and numerous letters from readers calling for a redesigned entrance to the courthouse.

The current design features a 14-foot staircase leading to the front entrance, with an elevator on one side for wheelchair users and others.

GSA officials have said a ramp would be impractical because it would need to be 200 feet long and no one would use it. They also say it would be expensive and would detract from the building's architectural design.

Gray clarified confusion over GSA statements about the ramp issue that came out in Friday's announcement about the delay.

Gray said Kvistad told the mayor that the ramp issue had nothing to do with his decision to delay the project because Kvistad's concerns mainly are about streets, parking and future development.

The courthouse design includes a grand staircase but no ramp access in front.

Map: The Register Guard

Chiquita Brands International bought the facility a few years ago, but it would have not paid to upgrade the obsolete plant and so the city stepped in to buy it for this Courthouse. There is a longtime plan to tie in the downtown with the river.

They are doing development next to Skinner's Butte north of DownTown, and they want a new University of Oregon Basketball court to build traffic in that area as well.

I found it interesting to see Peter DeFazio jump in with his accusations about GSA playing politics with this plug pulling. The whole thing is turning into an interesting dog and pony show.

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