UCC has purchased three buildings in the area for $1.925 million, for what will eventually be converted to 62,000 sq. ft. of student housing.
The spaces used to be the old Newberry鈥檚 department store, the Roseburg post office, and the Flegel Center鈥揳 building that originally served as a National Guard armory and was converted into a community center in the 1970鈥檚.
Nikki Messenger, the Roseburg City Manager, said this builds on previous efforts to revitalize the downtown.
鈥淭he city鈥檚 invested quite a bit through its Urban Renewal District,鈥� she told KLCC. 鈥淚f you included the construction of our public safety center downtown, we would be north of $20 million invested between that and other infrastructure improvements, to make a very walkable downtown. And it鈥檚 great to see more and more people available to take advantage of that.鈥�
The development鈥檚 projected to bring 100 students to downtown Roseburg. That鈥檚 in addition to 45 already living in a building called Hawks Landing since the summer of 2021.
The main campus of Umpqua Community College is seven miles north of downtown Roseburg near the community of Winchester.
Messenger said it鈥檚 been great to see an increased student presence in the city鈥檚 center, and was excited for UCC鈥檚 investment in the area.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see some of their athlete鈥檚 downtown, they volunteer, they really contribute to the community,鈥� she said.
In a press release, UCC President Rachel Pokrandt said, 鈥淭here is a lot of buzz in the state about workforce housing. Over 70% of UCC students hold a job and many of those are full-time. If you鈥檝e gone out to eat, gone to the grocery store, had your car serviced or grabbed a coffee any time recently you鈥檝e probably been served by a UCC student. Student housing is workforce housing.鈥�
In the same release, UCC Board of Education Chair Steve Loosely added, 鈥淭he college has been a great steward of public funds over the past few years, and we are proud to be in a position to invest in the college and the community in this way.鈥�
Aside from a pause during the , efforts to revitalize downtown Roseburg have been underway for several years. This has included beautification of public walkways, providing housing, working to fill storefronts and preserving (now the Grand Apartments.)
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