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County launches planning for Downtown Bend campus, seeks stakeholders and consultant RFP
Summary
Deschutes County facilities staff presented early-stage plans for a Downtown Bend campus study to consolidate county services, improve access and coordinate with the city's core-area efforts; an RFP for consultants is expected in early June and the project is budgeted for FY26.
Deschutes County facilities staff briefed the joint session about a new Downtown Bend campus planning effort that will analyze use of eight county-owned buildings on roughly 15 acres and produce a long-term concept for operations, access and shared parking.
Lee Randall, county facilities director, described the project's goals: evaluate near-term space and operational needs; coordinate with the city's 2019 core-area plan; improve sidewalks and access; and create a steering committee and stakeholder process to shape priorities. The county intends to release a consultant request for proposals in early June and budgeted the full planning work for fiscal year 2026.
Why it matters: the downtown campus houses courts, the sheriff, district attorney offices, behavioral health, tax and assessment services and several support functions. Planning could alter parking, pedestrian access and shared-use opportunities that affect downtown employees and visitors.
Next steps and coordination: staff said a steering committee will include department heads or designees and that county staff will coordinate with the City's core-area advisory board and downtown business stakeholders on access and shared-parking solutions. The county noted a separate access-and-parking project already out to bid that will improve sidewalks and site access and said construction coordination with the City's Only Avenue project is planned.
Ending: the county requested stakeholder input as the RFP and consultant scope are finalized, with preliminary work funded this fiscal year and the full process moving into FY26.
