Newsroom

CORVALLIS - Ten houses that were owned by Oregon State University, and sold for a single dollar apiece at a recent sealed bid sale, will be moved en masse this Sunday, July 25, at about 5 a.m.

A buck is a pretty cheap price for a house, acknowledged Brian Thorsness, associate director of Business Services at OSU. But the 10 houses, all formerly student family housing rentals, were scheduled to be demolished to make way for additional student housing and parking lots.

"The university has always attempted to donate old houses that do not meet long-term development plans of the institution," Thorsness said. "In relocating the houses, we saved almost $100,000 in demolition costs. It took a lot of work and a long time to come together.

"But it will be kind of neat to watch a convoy of houses head down the street," he added.

The houses, located in three areas near campus, will "join up" at 35th and Western Boulevard in Corvallis, then move down Highway 34 to their destination in Philomath. Many of the houses already have been jacked up and are ready to move. The early Sunday morning time was chosen in an attempt to minimize traffic disturbance, Thorsness said.

The houses were sold to Ken Marquart Construction of Eugene.

Four houses near SW 17th Street and Western Boulevard will move to make way for proposed single student apartments, said Terri Tower of University Housing and Dining Services at OSU. The area vacated by three houses near NW 35th Street and Jackson Street will be used to expand student family housing. Three houses near NW Orchard Street and 27th Street will eventually become parking lots.

"This is the second and third time that some of these houses have gone up for bid, so it's really wonderful that they're going to good homes," Tower said.

The houses and their current locations include:

• 721 S.W. 17th St.
• 740 S.W. 17th St.
• 718 S.W. 16th St.
• 1657 S.W. Western Blvd.
• 2963 N.W. Orchard St.
• 2955 N.W. Orchard St.
• 26 and 28 N.W. 27th St. (duplex)
• 3420 N.W. Jackson St.
• 3428 N.W. Jackson St.
• 3414 N.W. Jackson St.