By TIFFANY ECKERT/KLCC News
CORVALLIS — A new riverfront hotel and high-end housing project is in the works for downtown Corvallis. It’s a project of the Eugene-based Obie Companies.
The new development at First Street and Madison Avenue along the Willamette River is expected to include a 75-room boutique hotel and 92 private residences.
Brian Obie is riding on the success of his Gordon hotel brand in Eugene. When asked, “Why Corvallis?” the 83-year-old developer said he’s meeting a serious need.
“There’s 20,000 people that arrive in Corvallis, work all day and leave that evening because they can’t find a place to live, they can’t find housing,” he said. “So, we expect the market rate apartments to fill rapidly.”
The mixed-use property will be built on the site of the Old Flat Tail Brewery and Blackledge Warehouse. Obie said local contractors will salvage items to repurpose in the new design.
“History is important,” Obie said. “When developing a building project, we look back to the last 100 years of a community’s history and natural environment to plan and design something that will enrich and inspire for the next 100 years.”
Groundbreaking in Corvallis is expected in February.
In downtown Eugene, Obie Companies has developed properties at the 5th Street Public Market including the Market District and Inn at the 5th, as well as the Gordon Hotel and Gordon Residences. In 2022, the Gordon Hotel in Eugene was named one of “TripAdvisor’s hottest new U.S. hotels,” one of only two Oregon properties to receive such a designation.
I’m glad more housing is being built in Corvallis. I’m just hoping there is adequate parking for all the residents so that they don’t need to choke up city streets with cars. Downtown parking can be difficult to find as it is. I’m excited to hear more about the housing, and extremely glad to see they plan for them to be market rate.
Corvallis is inundated with house-less people, and you want to put in a new riverfront hotel with high end housing. Why? So we can have even more house-less people on our streets?
So we just let the homeless takeover the best lands of Corvallis? This is a private investor who will draw more money into Corvallis from the wealthy. Your concern for the homeless should be how the city government will use that new money to help the homeless.
Oh yes, more housing for the Corvallis elite. I can hardly contain my excitement for this monstrosity to go up.