It’s been at least 14 years in the making, and come fall, North Bend’s waterfront will become a center of activity.

The blighted areas will begin to disappear.

This will be the first step in creating a destination waterfront, from North Bend to Coos Bay, a goal of several community entities who, in a cooperative effort, are working to revitalize it, said North Bend City Administrator Jan Willis.

The city’s waterfront district plan will bring construction one day of a boardwalk so people will be able to stroll from under the McCullough Bridge around the land to Virginia Street. North Bend’s portion of the waterfront project already has funding in place — about $1.6 million of the $2.7 million needed. This includes about $850,000 in federal highway funds the city applied for five years ago and Urban Renewal money saved over the five years.

Willis said she feels people who visit the Coos Bay and North Bend waterfront will be in awe of the timber and shipbuilding industries that will operate alongside the future boardwalk, as well as enjoy new businesses that she believes will develop on the waterfront.

“The nice thing is we will be able to incorporate this with industrial activities,” Willis said.

Willis said engineers with OBEC Consulting Engineering in Eugene are finalizing plans for a 16-foot-wide, 900-foot-long boardwalk. The project should go out to bid in four or five months and is expected to be completed in 2010.

She said the city has already been approached by a prospective restaurant owner seeking to build in the dock area near the end of Virginia Avenue.

“It will also provide an incentive to business owners to create a business there on or near the boardwalk,” Willis said.

The Coquille Economic Development Corporation’s portion of the waterfront is about three quarters of a mile between Harbor Avenue and Carson Davis Oil on Newmark Street. CEDCO Executive Director Greg Aldridge said that losing the Home Depot deal put a crimp in plans, but he’s enthusiastic about North Bend’s progress.

“We don’t have anything real definite right now,” Aldridge said.

CEDCO has applied for an Oregon Parks & Trails Grant to extend the boardwalk to Newmark Street and is working with the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay on determining feasibility for a pleasure craft marina. Plans include connecting with North Bend’s boardwalk on the northern end.

Condos might be in the plans, too.

Jay Eastwood of Grants Pass-based Eastwood Homes has sought design for a 40,000-square-foot, four-story retail and residential living center, with 10 apartments on each floor, said Hilary Baker, project manager with Crow-Clay & Associates in Coos Bay.

He put his design to construct condominiums across the highway from the Red Lion Hotel on hold after the railroad closed down, however, South Coast Development Council Executive Director Ron Opitz said. Eastwood is waiting to see if rail returns, since the project could expand if the railroad easement goes away.

Right next door, the Coos Historical & Maritime Museum has stepped up fundraising efforts to build a 17,000-square-foot plaza. By July, the museum had gathered nearly $5 million of the $10 million needed.

“We’re not trying to make a Disneyland of our waterfront,”said Anne Donnelly, executive director of the museum. “We’re trying to make what is good and strong about our waterfront more evident to people.”

This wouldn’t be the only museum. The Oregon Coast Historical Railway Museum is continuing efforts to highlight train and railroad history at its waterfront site in Coos Bay.

Organization president Dick Jamsgard said the museum recently purchased a caboose for $4,000 with a $5,000 Floyd Ingram trust grant, but the caboose is located in the Hood River area and it will cost $10,000 to relocate it here.

“Our idea is to get two, three, four cabooses,” he said.

Ultimately, supporters want to see the partnership projects make the Bay Area a popular destination for events, music, road races and festivals.

“I think this is a great vision for the community,” said Jennifer Groth, historical museum board chairwoman and waterfront project organizer.