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October 25, 2018
Oregon Focus
Oregon Observer
ConnectOregonWI.com
Jefferson Crossing adds downtown housing BILL LIVICK Unified Newspaper Group
The Jefferson Crossing apartment complex in downtown Oregon held an open house in late August, but leases for the 61-unit building had all been signed early July, the developers said. Brett Riemen and Brian Spanos began construction of the three-story building in May 2017 on a 1.3-acre parcel located between the Jefferson Street parking lot and the railroad viaduct. Riemen told the Observer the complex filled up about six months earlier than anticipated due to its downtown location and the lack of new apartments in the village over the past decade. “There was pent-up demand,” he said. “And it’s just a great and a very visible location. It’s so easy for people to walk to downtown restaurants and businesses.” The complex has an underground parking stall for each of its 61 units, along with 29 surface stalls in the parking lot the developers completed building in September. But improvements to the adjacent Jefferson Street parking lot won’t be completed this year because bids to install underground lighting and new electrical service to South Main Street businesses had to be rejected, Oregon public works director Jeff Rau said last summer. He planned rebid the work in
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The Jefferson Crossing apartment building saw its first tenants move in this summer. November for the 2019 construction season. Riemen said parking in the area has turned out to be one of the biggest issues to work out with village officials and businesses.
Jefferson Crossing is a combination of studio, oneand two-bedroom apartments along with a fitness center, a community room and an outdoor patio with a gazebo. Village officials had hoped
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for a redevelopment of the area where the 41-foot-high building was constructed. It replaced six parcels — private homes and an auto repair shop – that for years were the subject of complaints about
the storage of unused automobiles and debris. Village President Steve Staton said the project will drive economic development in downtown Oregon. “I think it changes the face
of downtown and will quite likely attract more businesses and more activities downtown,” he told the Observer. Contact Bill Livick at bill. livick@wcinet.com
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Village administrator Mike Gracz has said that 40-50 new housing units per year is the range the village is aiming for.
Housing permits drop in 2018 SCOTT GIRARD
Unified Newspaper Group
The Village of Oregon had another quiet year on the housing front, and it might not improve next year. The village approved 30 single-family housing permits through August, the most recent numbers village administrator Mike Gracz provided to the Observer. Last year, the village had approved 26 through that same timespan, and ended the year with 32. The village’s recent peak in housing starts was 73 in 2015. It dropped to 56 in 2016. Gracz told the Observer in an email Bergamont had the most home starts this
New home starts Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
New permits 20 22 26 58 48 73 56 35 30
year, and he predicted the Highlands of Netherwood could have the most next year. “But we will most
likely be close to that number again in 2019,” Gracz wrote. While no duplex or multifamily permits were issued as of August, the 61-unit Jefferson Crossing downtown apartment building opened in the middle of the year. Last year, it seemed the village was headed in for a big year in 2018, with additions in the Oregon Parks and Merri-Hill neighborhoods expected. Gracz said there was “nothing specific” that held those up, attributing the year to “normal housing trends.” Contact Scott Girard at ungreporter@wcinet.com and follow him on Twitter @sgirard9.