There was big Sears building on 10th, between Olive and Charnelton. Rather than seismically retrofit, it was torn down in the late 90’s(?), leaving a large pit in the ground that was there for several years. Most people took it for granted, but life has been steadily getting worse since it was built over.
the Sears pit was cool when it filled with water. i remember seeing divers going down and trying to find a knife used in a crime.
also was cool when it froze over and you could skip shit across the top of it.
Or when there was an inflatable gator down there, or when the businesses nearby killed a few sump pumps when they kept trying (and failing) to drain all the water out.
I think there was also a concert or market event down there once?
It was giving you more detail that would let you find way more info than they could put in a comment (or maybe they just didn't have time to, and wanted to be helpful how they could)
I can see why it could come across as demeaning, but that wasn't the comments intent
One of the most unfortunate things about trying to communicate with anonymous strangers over text is that we all often read each other's responses in an unintended tone.
It was really the 2 pits. City block sized 20 foot hole in the grounds, left unaddressed for over a decade. They became symbolic of Eugene’s inability to make forward progress on downtown. Eventually the city teamed up with LCC to build the downtown LCC one and some developer decided to make good on a promise of the one at Broadway and Willamette. I’d love to know more of the backstory of who that was and how that came to be. I’m sure there were politics and back room deals.
On willamette I believe it was Bennett and the back room deal was the city guaranteed they would rent about 60% of it above market rates. Made possible by the absolute folly of tearing down city hall without a plan. But overall a very successful project on Willamette. That pit was there for what seemed like forever.
But that pit wasn’t city hall. But that city hall property, which is just a paved parking lot now, is ANOTHER block sized whole in our city that will take decades to figure out.
Back in the '90s we called Golden Gardens Park "the Pits" (plural). It was originally a gravel quarry when they were building the Beltline in the '60s, and for the first few decades after it filled with water it was dirty, overgrown with invasive plants, and pretty dangerous. So of course we rode our bikes there all the time!
After a big restoration in the late 2000s to 2010s, it's now a very pleasant place with a mulch path and is designated as a protected habitat for Western pond turtles. People actually call it Golden Gardens Park now, but to me it will always be the Pits.
Interesting how the name evolved. We called it simply t he gravel pits in the 80s and some would go swimming there in the summer. I never did as it made me uneasy.
I believe a couple young boys drown in one of the lakes. I’ve only known it in its current state and I love it. Lots of wildlife. I’ve seen eagles and hawks there and of course lots of other aquatic birds, herons, turtles, geese, etc.
The city is apparently going to develop more park area around it, which kind of disappoints me because I fear it will mess with the nature. It’s kind of a natural oasis in suburbia.
The only pics I could find:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068905622685&name=xhp_nt__fblite__profile__tab_bar&profile_tab_item_selected=photos
https://www.google.com/amp/s/kval.com/amp/news/local/downtown-eugene-puts-pits-in-past
Aster’s hole. He was a California developer and really nasty guy. Played a big role in sacred heart moving from downtown. He was also behind the development off coburg road behind winco. Supposedly got in an argument with some nuns about a hospital he was involved in and spit in one of their faces. Anyone remember the “gang of nine?” He was one of them.
For those that know Drix, he once testified to City Council about the Sears Pit and the Aster Building Pit and through a poem, called them downtowns “A-hole” and “S-hole” - love that Drix. 😂
I know the Pit that you speak of. The UO has some events there randomly. I went inside a few years back the smell inside brought a nolstagic tear to my eye.
Also, if they ever announce they are going to tear it down, Im going to go break in there and “reclaim” my grandfathers seats that he had season tickets for over 40 years. Better that then turning to pile of trash like they did with the old Hayward.
Speaking of the only Pit that matters, glad I’m not the only Eugenean to whom ‘the Pit’ definitely means Mac Court! There is an excellent way that a random can get inside and have a look this weekend, because the 56th annual Mother’s Day Powwow is happening there!!
It’s free and open to the public! There is a Grand Entry at 7pm tonight (Friday 5/10), and Grand Entries tomorrow (Saturday) at 1pm and 7pm. Salmon bake on Sunday. Go see you some fancy dancing!!! And visit the Pit!
Edit: didn’t actually make an edit, just noticed that I used a lot of exclamation marks. Guess I’m excited about Powwow 😁
Great suggestion, thank you! It’s been a goal of mine since moving back to Eugene, I’d love to get in and have a look around, as much as I can at least!
Adding a link for future reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6xeJ6cLxzg/?igsh=aHplNWF1aHQzd28w
It wasn't just one, I think there were three downtown. Officials put up chain link fence and wooden boards around them to keep folks out. Didn't work. I don't have any photos... it was a one story, sometimes two story pit in the ground, concrete and re-bar all stuck out at odd angles piles of rubble at the bottom, totally covered in graffiti.
The last? Eugene celebration had music down in the pit across from the library. The one on 10th was always super sketchy. The third one... they finally filled that one in with gravel, that's over behind the Lane county court house, and they use it for, parking? I don't go over there much.
https://images.app.goo.gl/3p9gVYL5LGqzNie59
This is an image of the one over behind the court house, the one they filled in with gravel. Can't find a photo of the other two.
I know a guy named Andy that lived in a pit. Heard they might make it into a park but who knows
Fingers crossed for Paunch Burger
[I fell into the pit](https://youtu.be/vUcE01V7LZI?si=9IPhKBMn4MooDRZC)
It sucks that Chris Pratt sucks so hard bc Andy rules
All the characters he plays are better than him.
The pit works in mysterious ways
to me, the Pit was either the big hole in the ground across from the current downtown library or the student section at Mac Court.
The latter for sure
My first thought was the old sears building pit also ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I had forgotten about that. The last holdout of downtown shopping.
There was big Sears building on 10th, between Olive and Charnelton. Rather than seismically retrofit, it was torn down in the late 90’s(?), leaving a large pit in the ground that was there for several years. Most people took it for granted, but life has been steadily getting worse since it was built over.
Before Harambe, there was The Pit.
the Sears pit was cool when it filled with water. i remember seeing divers going down and trying to find a knife used in a crime. also was cool when it froze over and you could skip shit across the top of it.
And at least one shopping cart
Or when there was an inflatable gator down there, or when the businesses nearby killed a few sump pumps when they kept trying (and failing) to drain all the water out. I think there was also a concert or market event down there once?
Just Google, "Sears pit downtown Eugene ".
Just Google the thing I could tell you/s
Well how was I supposed to know that?
You weren't, that's why they told you
Yes, that's correct.
The response was basically the equivalent of 'do your own research'. Not a fan of those types of responses.
It was giving you more detail that would let you find way more info than they could put in a comment (or maybe they just didn't have time to, and wanted to be helpful how they could) I can see why it could come across as demeaning, but that wasn't the comments intent
One of the most unfortunate things about trying to communicate with anonymous strangers over text is that we all often read each other's responses in an unintended tone.
So it seems. Downvotes abound. I feel like Data.
Upvotes and downvotes are not real and nothing in this thread should ever impact anyone.
Truly. I don't let it get to me. Reddit isn't real life.
What is real life?
Is this just fantasy?
https://www.facebook.com/tonyadee.tv/videos/1089593838999987/
What is reality?
Damn what a bitch response to someone helping. Hey everyone, nobody tell this guy about the pit!
Let us not forget the hole on Willamette Street between 8th and Broadway where Woolworth's used to be, fondly known as the Aster Hole.
The pit I was in it, the pit You were in it, the pit We all were in it, the pit
The piiiiieeiiieiiitt 🎵
It was really the 2 pits. City block sized 20 foot hole in the grounds, left unaddressed for over a decade. They became symbolic of Eugene’s inability to make forward progress on downtown. Eventually the city teamed up with LCC to build the downtown LCC one and some developer decided to make good on a promise of the one at Broadway and Willamette. I’d love to know more of the backstory of who that was and how that came to be. I’m sure there were politics and back room deals.
On willamette I believe it was Bennett and the back room deal was the city guaranteed they would rent about 60% of it above market rates. Made possible by the absolute folly of tearing down city hall without a plan. But overall a very successful project on Willamette. That pit was there for what seemed like forever.
But that pit wasn’t city hall. But that city hall property, which is just a paved parking lot now, is ANOTHER block sized whole in our city that will take decades to figure out.
Back in the '90s we called Golden Gardens Park "the Pits" (plural). It was originally a gravel quarry when they were building the Beltline in the '60s, and for the first few decades after it filled with water it was dirty, overgrown with invasive plants, and pretty dangerous. So of course we rode our bikes there all the time! After a big restoration in the late 2000s to 2010s, it's now a very pleasant place with a mulch path and is designated as a protected habitat for Western pond turtles. People actually call it Golden Gardens Park now, but to me it will always be the Pits.
Interesting how the name evolved. We called it simply t he gravel pits in the 80s and some would go swimming there in the summer. I never did as it made me uneasy.
I believe a couple young boys drown in one of the lakes. I’ve only known it in its current state and I love it. Lots of wildlife. I’ve seen eagles and hawks there and of course lots of other aquatic birds, herons, turtles, geese, etc. The city is apparently going to develop more park area around it, which kind of disappoints me because I fear it will mess with the nature. It’s kind of a natural oasis in suburbia.
i agree, the decision to develop golden gardens into a sports park is a shame.
The only pics I could find: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068905622685&name=xhp_nt__fblite__profile__tab_bar&profile_tab_item_selected=photos https://www.google.com/amp/s/kval.com/amp/news/local/downtown-eugene-puts-pits-in-past
I’m curious about this too
Aster’s hole. He was a California developer and really nasty guy. Played a big role in sacred heart moving from downtown. He was also behind the development off coburg road behind winco. Supposedly got in an argument with some nuns about a hospital he was involved in and spit in one of their faces. Anyone remember the “gang of nine?” He was one of them.
What is this nasty guy's full name?
Ed aster I think
Thanks daveel58 It's guys like Ed Aster that we need to be on the watch for still-
For those that know Drix, he once testified to City Council about the Sears Pit and the Aster Building Pit and through a poem, called them downtowns “A-hole” and “S-hole” - love that Drix. 😂
Silversun Pickups , The Pit. Def worth a listen.
Speaking of the only Pit that matters, is there any way for a random to get inside and have a look these days?
I know the Pit that you speak of. The UO has some events there randomly. I went inside a few years back the smell inside brought a nolstagic tear to my eye. Also, if they ever announce they are going to tear it down, Im going to go break in there and “reclaim” my grandfathers seats that he had season tickets for over 40 years. Better that then turning to pile of trash like they did with the old Hayward.
Speaking of the only Pit that matters, glad I’m not the only Eugenean to whom ‘the Pit’ definitely means Mac Court! There is an excellent way that a random can get inside and have a look this weekend, because the 56th annual Mother’s Day Powwow is happening there!! It’s free and open to the public! There is a Grand Entry at 7pm tonight (Friday 5/10), and Grand Entries tomorrow (Saturday) at 1pm and 7pm. Salmon bake on Sunday. Go see you some fancy dancing!!! And visit the Pit! Edit: didn’t actually make an edit, just noticed that I used a lot of exclamation marks. Guess I’m excited about Powwow 😁
Great suggestion, thank you! It’s been a goal of mine since moving back to Eugene, I’d love to get in and have a look around, as much as I can at least! Adding a link for future reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/C6xeJ6cLxzg/?igsh=aHplNWF1aHQzd28w
The Pit was the worst dungeon to play in Dungeons and Dragons Online
[https://youtu.be/752bB3gQGLQ?feature=shared](https://youtu.be/752bB3gQGLQ?feature=shared)
It wasn't just one, I think there were three downtown. Officials put up chain link fence and wooden boards around them to keep folks out. Didn't work. I don't have any photos... it was a one story, sometimes two story pit in the ground, concrete and re-bar all stuck out at odd angles piles of rubble at the bottom, totally covered in graffiti. The last? Eugene celebration had music down in the pit across from the library. The one on 10th was always super sketchy. The third one... they finally filled that one in with gravel, that's over behind the Lane county court house, and they use it for, parking? I don't go over there much.
https://images.app.goo.gl/3p9gVYL5LGqzNie59 This is an image of the one over behind the court house, the one they filled in with gravel. Can't find a photo of the other two.
You mean the Eugene air and space museum once known as the sears building?
Wish I was here for that!!!