Downtown Corvallis — Oregon

A 14-Story Building in Corvallis?

Pre-development talks are happening now.
Scale model showing shade impact from the proposed building
Model of the building's scale and shade impact on the neighborhood

A developer is in pre-development talks with the City of Corvallis (Oregon) to build a 14-story apartment building downtown directly next to the Avery-Helm Historic District.

This building would be located on 4th Street, between Western and Washington (covering half the block), where Smith Glass and Jerry’s Muffler are currently located.

How is this possible?

Currently, the tallest buildings downtown are only 7-stories tall. How can something twice as tall be built? Recent Oregon legislation allows for residential and mixed use buildings to exceed the maximum heights set by cities, if developers meet certain requirements.

City staff have confirmed, a building of this scale is allowed in this location.

We love Corvallis,
and we love downtown.
We want to see it thrive
and be a place anyone can enjoy.

However, developing without planning can lead to a downtown where no one wants to be.

Nearly 600 residents,
No Off-Street Parking

The latest design documents indicate the building will have approximately 572 beds in 264 units. However, no resident parking is currently planned in the building. The limited parking provided will be designated for the retail space on the ground floor. Even if the surface parking lot next to the building is used for residents, this will insufficiently address the parking needs of residents. The result will be dramatically increased parking pressure on streets, impacting neighborhood residents and local businesses.

Oregon Senate Bill 1537 allows qualifying developments to not provide resident parking.

Picture of the latest programming plan for the ground floor.
Latest programming plan for the ground floor.

Should our tallest building be here?

Picture of the homes adjacent to the proposed development site
Neighborhood homes adjacent to the proposed development site

The Avery-Helm Historic District was established in 2000 to preserve the historic character of one of the city’s oldest residential neighborhoods. However, the protections offered by this designation do not extend to development on its borders, even though a building of this scale can dramatically impact the neighborhood.

Picture of the neighborhood street adjacent to the proposed development site
Neighborhood street adjacent to the proposed development site

How can I get involved?

A group of neighbors is gathering concerns from the community about how a building like this could impact our town. Some of our concerns include:

  • Decreased parking availability for residents and businesses.
  • Lack of transitional building height between residential and mixed-use zones.
  • Failure to preserve the historic character of a designated historic neighborhood.
  • Blocking sunlight and views — impacting gardening, solar energy access, and mental health.
  • Increased traffic and safety concerns at a busy corner.
  • Insufficient sewer, water, and electrical infrastructure downtown.
  • Creation of student-specific housing that limits future flexibility.
  • Fire department ladder reach (105 ft) vs. building height (approx 144 ft).

To share your concerns, attend one of our neighborhood meetings. Help us collect the concerns of the community to share with the city.

Learn more

Planning Documents

Or download the files yourself from the city property lookup service. Lookup 516 SW 4th Street, then view city documents, and sort by date created.

State Mandates

Neighborhood

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