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Eugene City Council on Monday approved the purchase of the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s former headquarters along the Willamette River. The city of Eugene will buy the 4.4-acre property, which includes two buildings and parking lots, for $12 million.

The acquisition will provide space for an accessible city hall and some city services, while retaining public ownership of riverfront property for better access and service to the community.

The city departments that will move to the site have not been determined yet. Currently, city staffers occupy several buildings throughout Eugene. Relocations are expected to take place in phases; several departments will remain in their current locations.

As part of the sale, the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) will be able to maintain about 1,000 square feet of shared public-facing space where customers can conduct EWEB business by appointment. Only a handful of employees currently work at the riverfront location, according to EWEB.

In 2007, EWEB partnered with the city and other community stakeholders on the Riverfront Master Plan that was completed in 2010. The plan outlined improvements for an area that once held storage yards and other equipment facilities and is now home to Downtown Riverfront Park. Multifamily housing and commercial space are in the works.

In 2018, EWEB declared the former headquarters property surplus when the decision was made to consolidate staff at the Roosevelt Operations Center in West Eugene.

A purchase agreement will be drafted in the coming weeks with a tentative close date expected on or before July 1.