Developer suspends Oregon City’s Rivers project

Urban renewal project on former Rossman Landfill is in doubt as developer blames divided city commission

By Matthew Graham

The Oregon City News, Mar 8, 2010, Updated Mar 8, 2010 (12 Reader comments)

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The developers of Oregon City’s Rivers project, the proposed lifestyle center mall slated for the former landfill site next to Home Depot, have suspended the project indefinitely, saying a division in the city council and the imminent departure of City Manager Larry Patterson left them unsure of continued support.

“We have worked diligently to overcome the various obstacles posed by one of the most challenging sites we have ever faced,” Fred Bruning, principal of CenterCal, said in a letter to the city Monday.

“Recently it has been with great concern that we have witnessed a deep division among the city council with respect to our project, a division that seems to be causing factions to appear within the community,” the letter continued.

Bruning said CenterCal is “suspending work on the Rivers project.” He said that pending the appointment of a new city manager and the November election — two commission seats and the mayoral position are up for election — he would consider returning to the project if there was support.

Mayor Alice Norris said the developer had expressed some concern prior to Monday’s announcement.

“Everyone we work with expresses concern when they don’t have the full support of the council,” she said. “And on Urban Renewal it’s essentially been an 8-2 vote, so it’s stronger there. But these projects are extremely complex and so difficult because it’s building on a landfill; it’s been a battle every step of the way, so to not have a strong base of support” is problematic.

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