Fotowoosh is a fascinating new service. It takes the real estate online “tour” to a whole new level.

What I’m not clear on however is:

• How much work is put into rendering a photo into a video? Is it self-service, or not?
• Is this simply a clever lead generation tool for their hosting service?

Freewebs is definitely on the cutting edge of Web 2.0, with their simplified application tools for either integrating content into your own site or blog, or into a blog hosted by Freewebs.

They definitely understand, unlike other internet hosting services, that hosting has become a commodity. It’s what publishers can do with the hosting that drives innovation. In this case, they might be onto something with fotowoosh. If they send me a beta [nudge nudge], I might be able to tell you.

Popularity: 19% [?]

I love Eugene for the way its thought leaders in the local media provoke outrage..in the most laid back, passive-aggressive way imaginable. This can’t be called hypocrisy because hypocrisy requires a carefully constructed image of impermeable resoluteness, something Eugene is not exactly known for.

Or maybe it is. I don’t know..whatever you say man..

So that’s why this article in the Eugene Weekly really makes me laugh. Is there anything left to tap once the Eugene Weekly has tapped the public’s reservoir of rage towards those who have acquired or accomplished more than they? I feel exhausted after reading the Weekly sometimes, like I need a fresh IPA and some banter to bring me back to life.

In its latest, ongoing attempt to reshape public opinion about Downtown projects, the Eugene Weekly stereotypes KWG, the developer behind the most ambitious proposal for West Broadway yet, proposer of “The West End,” as a greedy developer out to bilk the taxpayers of Eugene out of $50 Million.

Does this city really lack the ability to look past stereotypes about developers and consider the facts?

• The best bid will win. Unlike Eugene’s elected leaders, developers and business people face real competition every day. They are not all a bunch of greedy local subsidy raiders. Yes they’re business people who expect a profit commensurate with risk. No they’re not TV caricatures of developers the way the Eugene Weekly likes to portray them. This isn’t The Dukes of Hazzard.
• West Broadway is embarrassing. Downtown is embarrassing. There’s nothing more that can be said here. Sure there are pockets of greatness downtown, but ask the majority of people who live downtown if they think it’s an ideal place to live and they’ll tell you the idealists are holding it hostage.
• About 1,000 construction jobs would be created for a period of about 18 months. Nevermind, Eugene doesn’t need jobs.
• All parking would be underground. That means another great place for the dropouts to smoke a joint or ten.
• Cost is estimated to be over $30M. This is NOT the City’s cost. And nowhere is it stated in the proposal that the City’s cost is $50 million. I challenge the Eugene Weekly to produce facts to support that price, net income from the project and $6M+ in grants from the Federal Brownfield Program.
• KWG is not proposing a “Mall-like Megaproject” as the Eugene Weekly calls it. That’s a complete suspension of the truth. This proposal looks nothing like a “mall” the way Oakway or Valley River Center are malls.

If KWG won the bid for some or all of West Broadway land for sale, 174 rental units over the grocery store (the one Eugene ran out of downtown once already?) would rent to households earning 60% of median income. For Eugene, that means about $29K for a family and $22K for an individual. This sure sounds like mixed-use to me.

KWG built a low income project in Downtown Vancouver called Esther Short Commons. The building won several design awards. Unfortunately, some of the liveability issues surrounding low income housing also leaves very little to the imagination. This isn’t KWG’s problem, this is the city of Vancouver’s problem. Just as it’s the City of Eugene’s problem.

KWG cannot solve the low income housing or downtown development problems for Eugene. Yet maybe if Eugene faced its reckless core more courageously, with more ambition and willingness to innovate, a developer would meet the City halfway.

Then someday the people of Eugene might be proud to say, like citizens of Portland can, that downtown is a fantastic place to live, work, and play.

Popularity: 22% [?]

This is a quote from the Hud.gov site, regarding the section 108 grant given to Eugene in 2005.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: The city of Eugene, OR, will receive a BEDI grant of $2 million and a Section 108 Loan for $7,895,000 to fund a loan pool that will assist with financing, infrastructure, land acquisition and public facilities necessary to attract private investment to brownfield sites in the downtown area. Potential development partners include Whole Foods, Oregon Research Institute, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center and an as yet unnamed developer of a multi-block mixed-use complex.

I think it’s worth noting here that two of four projects failed to materialize. Whole Foods pulled out. In part due to complaints from the community about “too many parking garages,” whatever that means, and a belief among others that the IHOP restaurant is an historical landmark. IHOP on Franklin is historical in the sense that it hasn’t been updated for decades. It’s not a historical landmark to most of Eugene however. That I am sure of.

McKenzie-Willamette is interested in the Delta Ridge site, but there appears to be a considerable amount of delay there. How the Delta area counts as a Brownfield is not clear, unless the original intent was to acquire the EWEB waterfront property. Also, since EWEB provides some of the best jobs in the City we can’t really call EWEB a brownfield either. Maybe it’s the “brown field” behind EWEB?

The fourth, “as yet unnamed developer of a multi-block mixed-use complex” is either Broadway Place or the broadway reopening.

What’s unclear is where the $6 Million in grants will eventually go.

These BEDI grants are designated for renewal projects but the city is sending its leaders to Washington to discuss ONLY sustainability issues. Nobody is opposed to sustainability, but the rhetoric of sustainability needs to include “economic sustainability” as well.

City Council minutes for April dedicate zero time to discussing this plan, or the council’s and mayor’s intent for these grants. Will this money remain in place for Eugene indefinitely? What is the Mayor’s and Council’s follow-through plan regarding BEDI grants?

Popularity: 12% [?]

Check out the Stats page and you’ll see that the latest Zillow chart shows that Eugene’s HPI is stable at 6% annualized growth. Zillow can provide a useful indicator but is by no means as accurate as the Office of Housing and Enterprise Oversight. Unfortunately the OFHEO stats come out a month or two after the end of the quarter. Look for a post about these stats in mid-May.

Popularity: 12% [?]

This 20 acre lot in Fox Hollow is a steal given what homes in this area go for. $389,900, or less than $20k/acre. From what I understand of Oregon Law, this lot could be divided into four five acre parcels if necessary. See the tour here.

Popularity: 17% [?]