• 

Downtown development debate: What's at issue

Submitted photo##Artist rendition of what the Gwendolyn Hotel project would look like if approved.
Submitted photo##Artist rendition of what the Gwendolyn Hotel project would look like if approved.
News-Register file photo##Picture of the corner of Third and Ford streets, where a hotel development is under consideration.
News-Register file photo##Picture of the corner of Third and Ford streets, where a hotel development is under consideration.

Portland-based Hugh Development has stirred debate with plans to demolish historic buildings at 609, 611 and 619 N.E. Third St., making way for a historically compatible 90-room hotel, the Gwendolyn, featuring underground parking and ground-level retail.

Here, the plans are detailed and defended by company founder Andrew Clarke.

His case is countered by project opponent Carol Paddock, whose roots run deep in McMinnville.

In addition, Publisher Jeb Bladine, whose family and newspaper company own two of the buildings at issue, uses his weekly Whatchamacolumn to provide perspective.

The debate opened at a Sep. 29 hearing of the McMinnville Historic Landmarks Committee, which must approve demolition for the project to proceed. The committee delayed its decision until a session slated for 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, in the Kent Taylor Civic Center.

Oral and written testimony may be submitted at the hearing, but to make the packet distributed to members, it must reach Community Development Director Heather Richards by Wednesday, Nov. 30. Her office address is 231 NE Fifth St., her e-mail address heather.richards@mcminnvilleoregon.gov.

 

Comments

@@pager@@
Web Design and Web Development by Buildable