Monday, April 21, 2008

The old Williams’ Bakery is toast


From today's Eugene Register Guard, The old Williams’ Bakery is toast.

Crews have begun mobilizing to tear down the former home of the longtime local bread maker on Franklin Boulevard so the University of Oregon’s landmark basketball arena can rise in its place. Today, they’re expected to put up fencing around the structure. Once they make sure utilities are shut off and the site is fenced off, the big machines will get to work.

The UO is expected to seek final approval from state officials next month to sell $200 million in state-backed bonds that will finance the approximately 12,500-seat pavilion, the most expensive college arena ever. Approval is almost certain, but the university would end up clearing the site even if arena construction does not proceed.

But torn down doesn’t mean thrown away. The general contractor picked for the work hopes to keep 95 percent of the building’s bulk out of the landfill by deconstructing it rather than simply demolishing it.


(To read the rest click on the title for a link)