The City of Bend will sell two lots in the Juniper Ridge Area and acquire three lots in the Core Area, after transactions were approved at a Sept. 18 City Council meeting. The sale and purchase of these lots showcases the growth the City of Bend hopes to see in the two areas.
In the Core Area, the city purchased three lots, along Franklin Avenues and Second Street, for $3.5 million. The properties it purchased, according to a press release, have been identified as locations that can meet the short and long-term community needs.
These properties will support goals with future public uses, including the potential development of a new City Hall.
According to Allison Platt, Core Area project manager for the City of Bend, the City identified the Bend Central District as the ideal location for the future city hall. As Bend continues to grow, officials see the BCD as the center of the city, and want City Hall in the most easily accessible location.
"The Bend Central District is really envisioned to be more of an urban feel, allowing for higher story buildings. It's kind of an expansion of downtown long-term, but with a higher focus on housing and residential uses than downtown has today," she said.
The two lots in Juniper Ridge, which the City sold to developer Taylor Brooks for a total of $8 million, will be allocated to the City's General Fund and used to support additional development in Juniper Ridge, as well as redevelopment goals within the Core Area.
The Juniper Ridge deal included a separate infrastructure agreement for constructing roads and utilities in Juniper Ridge. In December 2023, the Bend City Council declared approximately 200 acres for surplus for commercial and industrial development and directed staff to offer the properties for sale.
According to its project plans, Taylor Brooks is looking to target specific industry sectors to expand into Juniper Ridge, such as medical devices, software, pharmaceutical and financial services. The company is currently developing a campus for a biopharmaceutical company and plans to build a campus that will incorporate commercial, retail and industrial uses starting this fall.
In addition to industrial and employment uses, the City of Bend is also in the process of designing a new Public Works Campus in Juniper Ridge.
"The sale of the two lots is another step forward in the development of the Juniper Ridge Area," said City Manager Eric King in a press release. "This is a location the City has identified as a place to invest in more employment and industrial uses that benefit our community."
