Oceanside

Oceanside’s plans for a new downtown civic center complex took a major step forward Wednesday when the City Council agreed to finance the ambitious project through the sale of $27.7 million in revenue bonds.

Under the plan, which won the council’s unanimous endorsement, the tax-exempt bonds will be issued by the city’s redevelopment agency and be available for public sale July 29. The redevelopment agency will use funds from the sale to build the $20-million civic center and then rent the 108,000-square-foot facility to the city.

Plans for the new civic center call for a campus-style complex spanning three downtown blocks and including city and harbor district offices, a branch library and a fire station.

Oceanside officials are billing the project, which is expected to be completed by the summer of 1988, as a key to downtown redevelopment. Officials hope the city’s major investment in the center city will encourage private developers locate downtown.

The project will replace aging, overcrowded facilities will consolidate municipal departments which are sprinkled throughout Oceanside in leased office space, officials said.