Facility Funding Options FAQ
The City of Corvallis is conducting a feasibility study to evaluate funding options for improving two key public facilities located downtown: the Police Station and the Civic Campus. The goal is to learn more about potential funding strategies to support the City’s continued investment in safe, accessible, and community-serving infrastructure.
This is the latest step in the long-running citywide facilities project, which began in 2021 and has refined the scope of needed improvements to get this point. In late 2024, the City Council voted to begin studying funding options for the Civic Campus and Police Station projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to some frequently asked questions that we've received from the community can be found below.
1. This seems like a big project. Where are we in the timeline?
The City has been developing a plan for facility improvements since 2021. This process has included detailed studies, facility assessments, and prioritization of options. The City Council has been engaged throughout the process, and their decisions over the years have helped move this project forward while reflecting community values and priorities.
We had some recent successes in 2023 and 2024, when we renovated two fire stations serving the north and west sides of Corvallis using federal grant money. We also identified a funding source to build a new park maintenance facility in Avery Park. These were all projects identified in our long-term facility plan.
Now it’s time to move forward on improvements to two facilities that support community services downtown: the Civic Campus and the Police Station. The City is evaluating funding options for both facilities this summer. You can learn more about the City’s planning efforts here: www.corvallisoregon.gov/facilities
2. Can’t the City just keep using the facilities you already have?
City Hall was built in the 1920s and has served as a temporary location since the 1970s. After 50 years in a building not designed for long-term use, the facility is no longer adequate. Aging infrastructure, safety and accessibility issues, and lack of space make it increasingly challenging to support modern public services.
Similarly, the existing law enforcement building is outdated and no longer supports the needs of a modern police department. Upgrades are critical to supporting public safety and meeting the expectations of our growing community.
Additionally, the City looked into leasing space in other buildings elsewhere in Corvallis. While this option may seem like an acceptable solution, leasing is typically more expensive over time, provides no public ownership or equity, and lacks the long-term certainty and civic visibility that a purpose-built City facility can provide.
3. What’s going to be in the new Civic Campus building?
The new Civic Campus will be located at the corner of 5th and Madison and will bring together many different community services under one roof. These services include urban planning, building permitting, code compliance, utility billing, municipal court, human resources, IT services, in addition to other aspects of City administration.
The new Civic Campus will also accommodate meeting spaces for the City Council – something that will be new for Corvallis. Currently, the City Council meets in a large conference room in the downtown Fire Station, because the existing City Hall lacks community meeting spaces.
4. What would happen to the old City Hall?
The current plan would remove the existing City Hall and replace it with a new, purpose-built facility. The decision to remove the existing City Hall building came down to increasing costs to maintain the building, particularly costs to address seismic improvements, accessibility upgrades, and structural deficiencies.
5. Haven’t residents already voted on this and rejected a bond?
No, that was the Benton County jail bond. The City of Corvallis has not asked voters to fund any facilities projects.
6. How does this plan benefit the community?
A new Civic Campus would create a central, accessible hub for the community at a time when downtown Corvallis is seeing a new burst of vitalization and investment. Improving community facilities downtown would improve efficiency, provide equitable access, and reinforce the City’s commitment to a vibrant, welcoming downtown.
7. What are some of the funding options you’re considering?
The City is looking at a variety of possible funding options, including a payroll tax, a general obligation bond, a local option levy, or state/federal grants. It’s likely that the result will be a combination of funding sources to accomplish this project.
8. Why can’t the City just use existing Revenue sources?
The only way to use existing revenue is to redirect it from essential community services. That would mean cuts to services like police, fire, parks, or road maintenance. New costs require new resources to maintain existing service levels.
9. Will the public get to vote on the final decision?
That depends on the funding option selected. Some options require a public vote, while others do not. This is why participation in the City’s recent feedback questionnaire is so important. Your input will help shape the path forward.
10. Where can I learn more about this project and some of the decisions that have been made over the years?
You can read all about the history of this project, the assessments and data that went into the decisions, and the City Council’s role in shaping the project plan, on the City website: www.corvallisoregon.gov/facilities.
