The Corvallis Planning Commission's Land Development Hearings Board approved a zone change to property near campus owned by the OSU Bookstore on Wednesday night.

No decision has been made as to what kind of development will be created on the property at Northwest Monroe Avenue and Kings Boulevard. However, representatives of the architecture firm hired by the OSU Bookstore to redevelop the property requested a zone change from shopping/university to mixed-use commercial.

The OSU Bookstore's lease on its current location in the Memorial Union runs out in June 2004, and bargaining began in December to renew the lease. If the lease is not renewed, the Monroe property will house the bookstore's retail and administrative operations as well as 19 two-bedroom apartments. If the lease is renewed, the property will be developed with retail and office tenants in mind.

John Flynn represented the bookstore's interests at the meeting, and said the mixed-use commercial zoning best matched the city's comprehensive plan. Jason Yaich of the City of Corvallis agreed with Flynn and said the development met the intended use of the area, which included pedestrian-oriented commercial development, and would also meet the requirements of the site as a possible minor neighborhood center.

While the property owners intended to begin construction this summer, there are many more steps before approval can be completed, including submission to the city of design plans and uniting of several properties on the block into a whole parcel. There are also citizen-raised parking concerns, which will likely have to be addressed by the Planning Commission.