downtown redevelopment

Here’s a bit a breaking news with interesting timing regarding downtown Eugene. We heard today (Monday, Nov. 19) that the old Symantec Building, aka Bon Marché, at 175 W. Broadway, is getting a major new tenant, a call center for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car.

The facility will employ about 200 people and serve customers of all three car rental companies, according to a statement from Jack Roberts of the Lane Metro Partnership. Hiring is set to begin in February and about 120 of the 200 positions are expected to be full-time.

The announcement follows the defeat at the ballot box of a city measure that would have subsidized a large redevelopment of downtown, mostly along Broadway, but not including the building owned by Connor & Woolley at 175 W. Broadway. The three-story building is on the tax rolls valued at about $5.5 million.