Design team shares plans for OSU-Cascades

Until now, Bend has been the largest metro area in Oregon without a four-year university. OSU-Cascades expanded to a four-year university last fall and the campus that opens this fall is already beginning design work on plans to expand.

On Monday evening, OSU-Cascades hosted a community forum to introduce the campus design team. The university has selected Page Southerland Page and SERA architects as the design team to work on plans to expand the campus’ new west side.

A cutting-edge yet sustainable campus is the goal of OSU-Cascades new design team.

“We want to make the campus very transparent and visible so people can see what’s happening,” said designer Dan Kenney.

Designers discussed a net-zero initiative in which the campus would produce its own energy. The campus would try to reuse everything on site that’s possible and ultimately be self-sufficient. Many residents at the meeting said they liked that the university was working to be sustainable.

However, a big issue of concern for many residents was traffic congestion. While there is a different committee that deals with parking and traffic, designers say they are definitely considering traffic and parking when planning. They are looking into creating policies and having many residents live on-campus to reduce traffic congestion.

“We want to find a win-win situation. People have to get to the campus so you have to find the right alternatives. That’s the secret,” said Kenney,

Bend resident Sid Snyder lives three blocks from the building site and says he is happy the university is coming.”Of course there’s going to be problems that come with it, but in my mind they pale compared to the benefits that come with it,” said Snyder.

The new campus aims to accommodate 3,000 to 5,000 students by 2025. Designers say they are working to be in communication with OSU-Cascades, the city of Bend and community members throughout the planning process.