The Eugene Mall was a car-free zone in the heart of Eugene, Oregon, designed to encourage pedestrian access to shopping and entertainment areas. Dedicated on February 13, 1971, the mall opened amid three days of fanfare and dreams of a revitalized downtown. Conflict over the scope and use of the mall began immediately and continued for 30 years until the last remaining parts of the mall were opened to automobile traffic. At that time, a former Eugene mayor commented that the city's dreams for a bright future just hadn't worked. Many residents, however, shared the much-earlier view of a former downtown merchant, that Eugene had sustained more damage from the mall than it would have from a natural disaster.HistoryThe Post–World War II economic expansion created a gradual exodus from city core areas in the United States, and federally funded urban renewal projects empowered communities to demolish historic downtown areas and build new, modern structures. With dramatic increases in automobile purchases accompanied by a post-WWII decline in public transportation, many communities accepted urban renewal financing to demolish buildings and install much-needed parking areas.As climate-controlled, suburban shopping centers became common in the 1960s, communities began to explore ways of drawing retail and entertainment business back into downtown areas. An experimental method of encouraging business was a downtown mall. One researcher found that approximately 200 pedestrian malls were constructed in the United States by the close of the 20th century, although only 15 remained in 2013.An Early prediction of the Eugene MallIn 1963, a Lane County planning director predicted that by 1980, residents of Eugene would live in an age of push-button automation where hands-free cars would speed them into the city core, and they could park in multi-story structures and be whisked on moving sidewalks to an extensive, plastic-covered shoppers' mall.
