Proposed Development of Marion Parkade as WOU Mini Campus Moving Forward

The timeline is ambitious but they will waste little time developing the new project as long as negotiations move forward.

Photo of the Marion Parkade courtesy: City of Salem

(SALEM, Ore.) - The face of downtown Salem could change in the near future if plans to develop a new Western Oregon University campus facility at the Marion Parkade continue to move forward.

The project, launched by Salem attorney and developer Kevin Lafky and his group, Marion Park LLC, has the potential to further diversify the city's downtown as the university's international program will likely be based there.

Lafky told Salem-News.com today that he believes the project has the potential for both regional and national significance, as solutions offered for communities that have under-utilized parking structures.

"It will be great for the WOU staff and students and Salem's downtown. A good number of high school students in Salem continue on to Western Oregon after graduation," Lafky says this could radically reduce driving time and cost for students in the local area.

"It is an opportunity for them to come in and have a significant presence downtown. There will be a mini-campus for the students to work and go to class, and the professors will have offices. It is a very logical plan that will utilize existing space."

Lafky's plan involves revitalizing the Marion Parkade parking garage, and adding apartment units on the top of the structure. Certain areas on the ground floor would be utilized for retail and classroom space.

The city of Salem appears to be listening to Lafky's idea.

"We’ve entered into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the city which means the city will only work with our group, Marion Park LLC, in regard to the renovation of the parkade."

The timeline is ambitious but Lafky says the need is already there, so as long as negotiations move forward, they will waste little time developing the new project.

"We hope to start construction this fall and be ready for the students from WOU in September 2009," Lafky said.

While the idea involving the international program being relocated to Salem is on the table, Lafky says it is still early in the game, and in the end the decisions about what programs are relocated to Salem are strictly the call of WOU.

"One of the things I want to emphasize is that while Western has talked about the international program being here in Salem, they want to keep the options open to not just bring international students here but other students and programs as well."

Anyone who spends time in downtown Salem knows that while progress moves steadily forward, the place can always use more energy and life. Most also would agree that Salem has an ongoing identity crisis in many respects as an Oregon city, plain and simple.

Salem, Oregon's population is an even mix of political and economic levels and backgrounds for the most part. A significant portion of the city's jobs are government positions at the state capitol and in a vast array of other state, county and even federal agencies and services that originate out of Salem.

Residents here lack the definition and self-identity of those in cities like progressive, bustling Portland with its skyscrapers and speedboats, or Eugene, known for left leaning politics, bike trails and "green" citizens who sometimes defend the natural environment as well as their University football team.

Salem used to be a city where other Willamette Valley kids came to cruise on weekend nights. For years, it was a destination for young people. Back in the 1950's and even later there were marinas on the river, and for a time there was a race track on Portland Road that drew a gathering of visiting hot rod fans to the capitol city. There were skating rinks and a drive-in theater, and lest we forget the big time rock bands that took the stage in Salem throughout the 1960's and 1970's.

That was the culture decades ago and it is different now. We seem to have lost something, but if Marion Park LLC moves ahead with plans to establish Western Oregon University downtown, it might even breathe the lost spirit of Salem back into what we know to be there.

The new convention center certainly allows Salem something to boast about. It does seem like adding more people from interesting parts of the world to the mix of the downtown population would help the city's residents get one step closer to discovering their own identity.

Having more international students could give Salem that edge that defines Oregon's capitol city as a historic place of cultural and international significance.

"The international student idea is a great opportunity for everyone, because many come from more urbanized areas." He says having these students in Salem will allow cultural crossover, a strong component to add to a growing downtown area like this.

"They are looking at other programs also," Lafky added. He says the options are vast and the university has also expressed interest in bringing in a nursing program and there is also discussion of collaboration with Salem Hospital, which would further benefit the local economy.

Technology like MySpace allows people to have friends in countries all over the world, but Lafky says this project will bring the world to our door.