City of Eugene Riverfront Plaza

Challenge

The City of Eugene’s riverfront represented a rare opportunity to transform former City and Eugene Water and Electric Board-owned property into a more connected, public-facing district along the Willamette River. The larger redevelopment required coordination across a mixed-use private-public partnership, while the Riverfront Plaza Park needed to support community use, pedestrian circulation, riverfront access, and a cohesive long-term vision for the district.

Solution

Mazzetti provided planning and design services for the Riverfront District redevelopment and served as Civil Engineer for the City’s Riverfront Plaza Park. The design process brought together the City, the developer, architects, and the public to create a contemporary civic space rooted in the site’s cultural history, natural setting, ecology, industry, public art, historic structures, and river views.

Outcome

The completed plaza was designed as a flexible gathering place that supports events, performances, pedestrian flow, and stronger connections between the surrounding neighborhood, downtown Eugene, and the riverfront bike and pedestrian path system. Multiple test fits helped the team maximize flexibility and ensure the plaza could adapt to a range of community uses.