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In addition to starting work on the Oregon Research Institute building, University of Oregon staffers will begin preparations to update the Riverfront Research Park master plan all together.

The near 30 year old master plan for the Riverfront Research Park will expire in October of 2012 with plenty of space left to develop in the park. University officials, wanting to get ample public involvement, have already started the process of updating it.

The update is needed considering most of the arguments against placing the ORI building on the waterfront were centered on the idea that the master plan was outdated and needed to be revised, taking into account contemporary market conditions, environmental concerns and other factors.

鈥淏eyond the project, the university will launch a master planning process to help address future facilities needs for UO‘s expanding role in catalyzing innovation and its ties to economic development,鈥� said Rich Linton, vice president for research and graduate studies at the university.

Excited about the process, the Associated Students of University of Oregon has approved $56,000 to bring speakers to Eugene who can offer examples of innovative riverfront design and add to the discussion for a new master plan.

Connecting Eugene member Allen Hancock, one of the major opponents of the original ORI site, said he is looking forward to the discussions and hopes the group will be considered a stakeholder.