What's that construction happening at the Olive Plaza Apartments in downtown Eugene?

Project: Repairs, renovations and seismic upgrades to Olive Plaza Apartments.

Location: 1133 Olive Street, Eugene.

Olive Plaza Apartments, managed by Human Good, is an affordable housing community for individuals ages 62 or older, as well as mobility-impaired individuals. Its multi-colored gray, teal and green exterior has been covered up since early 2024, when the complex began conducting repairs and renovations.

The building, constructed in 1978, stands 12 stories tall with 150 one-bedroom units inside. Each unit has a kitchen with a stove and refrigerator along with a full bathroom, and residents have access to amenities such as a community room and kitchen, a rooftop garden, a ground-floor patio and a shuttle service.

As the building is over 40 years old, Olive Plaza Apartments is undergoing repairs and renovations. Additional project tasks include providing seismic upgrades to the building. The exterior of the building will have existing external cladding replaced with a water-resistive barrier rain screen system and will install a drainage cavity and window replacements. Inside, changes like work on flooring, cabinets and bathrooms are planned.

Funding for this project comes from a number of places, including the City of Eugene’s Low Income Rental Housing Property Tax Exemptions (LIRHPTE) program. The City Council approved Olive Plaza’s LIRHPTE award on Jan. 22 to cover some building costs and the costs of the voluntary and temporary relocation of residents while renovations are ongoing.

Public agency funds for this project include $317,565 from the City of Eugene Community Development Block Grant. Other funds account for $2,488,715 from Oregon Housing and Community Services Low Income Housing Tax Credit Equity, $2,000,000 from the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund and the Capital Magnet Fund Grant. The project is also accepting funds through Seller Note Financing, an Umpqua Bank Permanent Loan, Deferred Developer Fees, Owner Equity and Property Cash Flow.

Building Size: 12 stories tall. The first floor is 8,489 sq. ft. and the 12th floor is 7,385 sq. ft. Floors two through 11 are 9,420 sq. ft each.

Managed By: HumanGood Affordable Housing, of Calif.

Sources: Olive Plaza Apartments, City of Eugene Planning and Development Department Permit Records, Lane County Property Records, Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program documentation, Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries documentation.

Is there something under construction that you’d like to learn more about? Contact growth and development reporter Hannarose McGuinness at 541-844-9859 or hmcguinness@registerguard.com

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: What's that construction at the Olive Plaza Apartments in Eugene?