Though it only received one proposal, Clackamas County is moving into the negotiation phase for a plan to redevelop the old courthouse in Oregon City.

Level Development NW submitted a proposal to demolish the current building and replace it with a mixed-use structure that would include roughly 84 residential units above a commercial floor and below-ground parking. Liberty Plaza would also be retained and dedicated to the city of Oregon City.

The Clackamas County commissioners voted at a meeting Tuesday, May 6 to proceed with negotiations regarding this proposal and schedule an opportunity for public comment on the plan.

“Although the negotiations are exclusive, the Board is not committed to any binding action until final documents are executed and reserves the right to take any action the Board deems appropriate, including termination of those negotiations,” the county staff report reads.

Clackamas County Chair Craig Roberts expressed disappointment that the county had received just one proposal for the site during the request for expressions of interest process, which included publication on the Clackamas County website, OregonBuys.gov and in the Daily Journal of Commerce and Business Tribune. It was also distributed to 180 targeted firms.

However, Roberts and Commissioners Ben West and Paul Savas liked aspects of the Level Development NW’s plan, such as the inclusion of basement level parking. Staff also noted that there currently isn’t any housing in downtown Oregon City and the proposal could fill a need.

“There is a lot of opportunity with this with bringing that kind of development and population that are going to be there seven days a week, every day of the year. It seems to hit all the right notes here,” Savas said.

One possible incentive for the county to move forward with a sale of the site is that staff estimated that maintaining the vacant building could cost $346,000 per year.

Over the weekend, the county celebrated the ribbon cutting for the new courthouse at the Red Soils campus in Oregon City. That courthouse will open later this month.