EUGENE–Six University of Oregon-owned houses from Moss and Villard streets will disappear from campus starting Sunday, Aug. 20.

Four houses will travel to new sites and two may be demolished. The moves will help prepare the way for construction of a new UO housing complex designed for single graduate students slated to open in Fall 2001. The new construction, being designed by gLAss Associates, will be located between Moss and Villard streets just east of the Bean Residence Hall Complex at East 15th Avenue and Moss Street.

"The new construction will help us continue to provide quality and affordable housing for UO students," says Mike Eyster, director of UO Housing. Rental rates have not yet been determined but will be below market prices, he says.

Four of the structures to be moved were rental homes for university students, but due to the high maintenance costs of these buildings, are no longer suitable for that purpose. They were sold to private owners who participated in the competitive bidding process according to state guidelines.

The new owners will relocate the structures to lots on Laurel Hill Drive and Augusta Street in southeast Eugene. The two houses located at 1416 Villard St. and 1585 Moss St. will be removed on Aug. 20, and the two houses located at 1563 and 1649 Moss St. will be removed by Sept. 30.

The remaining two older buildings may be demolished since the UO Housing Department received assessments by several outside agencies that found the houses are not salvageable. Demolition of the storage building located at 1460 1/2 Villard St. and demolition or removal of the house on 1599 1/2 Moss St. also will be completed this fall.

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