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Ex-mill site sees activity
By Meghan Walsh, Staff Writer
Saturday, October 24, 2009 | No comments posted.
Developers are starting to move dirt that has sat untouched for almost 20 years at the old Georgia-Pacific mill site in Coquille.
The new tenants, McKay’s Market and Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Inc., have started priming more than six acres on the north side of South Mill Avenue for development.
“It’s great to see all that activity,” Coquille City Manager Terence O’Connor said. “It’s a great location, but we have had a hard time trying to find someone to get to the development stage.”
The remaining 14 waterfront acres are still unclaimed.
Chuck McKay, owner of McKay’s Markets, said he plans to go to bid on his new structure within 90 days. But he didn’t want to give away any further details, just yet.
“I will make a formal announcement when we get the general bid,” McKay said.
The building McKay’s Market now occupies, off Central and Fourth streets, might be used to expand the city library.
“We would really love to put our library in there,” library director Anne Connor said. “We have some money, but we don’t have enough money right now. We are trying to work something out.”
Coquille acquired the 20 acres of land in 1992. Since then the city has met with numerous developers, including Safeway, but was never able to close any deals.
“They all fell through,” O’Connor said.
A Safeway spokesperson said the company decided to remodel its current store across the street instead. It held a grand re-opening in August.
But now that development has begun, O’Connor is optimistic it will attract more buyers. There has been some discussion with a San Francisco developer about the remaining acreage.
“We see that as a prime piece of property,” O’Connor said. “It’s a wonderful mixed-use type of area. Residences could be built above stores to take advantage of riverfront views.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation and Coos-Curry paid to expand South Mill Avenue, O’Connor said.
There is a possibility that Coquille Urban Renewal Agency also will pay to develop the G-P site in the future. The agency awarded a $31,000 contract to a Portland consulting group to review and propose changes to the city’s $11 million urban renewal plan, which was drafted in 1998. The revamped plan was scheduled to be unveiled in August, but that has not happened yet.
The agency, O’Connor said, will spend funds to develop the downtown area, too. Some facade improvements include redoing sidewalks and crosswalks along First Street, burying utilities and installing new lighting fixtures.
In the past 10 years the agency has spent about $200,000 of its $11 million budget. O’Connor thinks there will be a drastic increase in spending in the next decade.
“We are hoping that as those dollars improve downtown, and as more money comes in, we will be able to do more projects,” O’Connor said.
The new tenants, McKay’s Market and Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Inc., have started priming more than six acres on the north side of South Mill Avenue for development.
“It’s great to see all that activity,” Coquille City Manager Terence O’Connor said. “It’s a great location, but we have had a hard time trying to find someone to get to the development stage.”
The remaining 14 waterfront acres are still unclaimed.
Chuck McKay, owner of McKay’s Markets, said he plans to go to bid on his new structure within 90 days. But he didn’t want to give away any further details, just yet.
“I will make a formal announcement when we get the general bid,” McKay said.
The building McKay’s Market now occupies, off Central and Fourth streets, might be used to expand the city library.
“We would really love to put our library in there,” library director Anne Connor said. “We have some money, but we don’t have enough money right now. We are trying to work something out.”
Coquille acquired the 20 acres of land in 1992. Since then the city has met with numerous developers, including Safeway, but was never able to close any deals.
“They all fell through,” O’Connor said.
A Safeway spokesperson said the company decided to remodel its current store across the street instead. It held a grand re-opening in August.
But now that development has begun, O’Connor is optimistic it will attract more buyers. There has been some discussion with a San Francisco developer about the remaining acreage.
“We see that as a prime piece of property,” O’Connor said. “It’s a wonderful mixed-use type of area. Residences could be built above stores to take advantage of riverfront views.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation and Coos-Curry paid to expand South Mill Avenue, O’Connor said.
There is a possibility that Coquille Urban Renewal Agency also will pay to develop the G-P site in the future. The agency awarded a $31,000 contract to a Portland consulting group to review and propose changes to the city’s $11 million urban renewal plan, which was drafted in 1998. The revamped plan was scheduled to be unveiled in August, but that has not happened yet.
The agency, O’Connor said, will spend funds to develop the downtown area, too. Some facade improvements include redoing sidewalks and crosswalks along First Street, burying utilities and installing new lighting fixtures.
In the past 10 years the agency has spent about $200,000 of its $11 million budget. O’Connor thinks there will be a drastic increase in spending in the next decade.
“We are hoping that as those dollars improve downtown, and as more money comes in, we will be able to do more projects,” O’Connor said.
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