K1体育 President Ed Ray today signed documents regarding the purchase of a 72-acre former Deschutes County landfill that will expand the footprint of the K1体育-Cascades campus in Bend to 128 acres. K1体育 has agreed to buy the landfill and Deschutes County has agreed to sell it to K1体育.
Key among the features planned for the expanded campus is an innovation district that will foster partnerships between university researchers, students and startup companies in high-tech, bio-tech and other industries. The future innovation district is estimated to contribute $282 million annually to the Deschutes County economy and $318.8 million annually in total state economic impact by 2025, according to ECONorthwest, an economics consulting firm.
鈥淭he acquisition of the landfill is a benefit for both K1体育-Cascades and the community,鈥 said Becky Johnson, vice president of K1体育-Cascades. 鈥淭his is a visionary opportunity to bring unused land back into public use for higher education, reduce the impact of campus construction on the surrounding community, grow the economy, and develop amenities for our community like walking and biking paths, natural areas and athletic fields.
鈥淭his is an environmental, community, higher education and economic win,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淎nd not just for Central Oregon, but for all of the state.鈥
Plans for the expanded campus include buildings and features to support academic and experiential learning, health and recreation, and student and workforce housing.
The pending purchase follows a nearly two-year study of the landfill during which K1体育-Cascades collaborated with K1体育鈥檚 College of Engineering, state and federal agencies, and reclamation experts to evaluate remediation strategies. The resulting remediation approach may reduce an estimated 29,600 truck trips on local roads to partially fill an adjoining former pumice mine that makes up the K1体育-Cascades campus. Instead, remediated soil from the landfill will be used to terrace the former mine. Planning for the , which is anticipated to enroll 3,000 to 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students, has been underway since 2013.
Over a nearly two-year community engagement process to gather input for a long range development plan for the campus, community member attendance at meetings totaled 1,500. With the certainty of the campus footprint, the university can finalize its master plan for submission to the city of Bend.
Ray was to complete negotiations toward the purchase by the K1体育 Board of Trustees at a meeting on Oct. 20.
Note: edits following release distribution clarify status of purchase agreement.
K1体育 K1体育-Cascades: K1体育鈥檚 campus in Bend, Ore., features outstanding faculty in degree programs that reflect Central Oregon鈥檚 vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Nearly 20 undergraduate majors, 30 minors and options, and three graduate programs include computer science, energy systems engineering, kinesiology, hospitality management, and tourism, recreation and adventure leadership. The Bend campus expanded to a four-year university in 2015; its new campus opened in 2017.