MetroSpokane

Land Owner ≠ Developer

There is an old adage that states that just because you have money doesn't mean you have good taste.  In the case of the newest development in Peaceful Valley MetroSpokane feels the adage should be changed to: "Owning land in a hot neighborhood does not mean you should be a developer"

Before we do a walk-around of this new development, let's reflect on Peaceful Valley and what makes it so special:

• Small block sizes
• Narrow lots
• Historical context
• Pedestrian focused development

The most significant of these attributes is that the neighborhood was platted prior to the auto age, with the result being that Peaceful Valley is a very walkable neighborhood.  Also substantial is the fact that the neighborhood maintains a huge intact inventory of lots sized 25'x100'.  The scale and intimacy of the residential built environment in the neighborhood is a very unique and special asset when contrasted with our friends in the exclusive "Welshly Arms-Quail Covey-Fox Run Estates" subdivision.

Back to the new development.  As Peaceful Valley has become a hot commodity, developers are busy snapping up vacant lots and tearing down older structures.  This doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing.  Some new, limited, well done larger development could add some nice contrast to the neighborhood.  Until something good arrives, Peaceful Valley continues to get bland, thoughtless suburban-style development [with 60' frontages] in a neighborhood where it is least fitting.  It is important to note that some developers have respected the scale and size of the existing homes, and have sought to create infill that fits.

This month's BLEMISH, as pictured below, is six units of snout-house spread between two separate buildings.  A few things Metrospokane found horribly wrong include:

Improper scale-Even the worst designed homes try to offer the homeowner a view of something other than the garage.  Not here.  All one sees of this development is it's garage.  It easily consumes 2/3s of the front elevation.  The building's scale is far too big for the existing pattern in the neighborhood.  Other homes in the area, new and old, are defined by a simple geometry and a predictable pattern that is often repeated, but this house virtually screams at you. Can you say "big sale on white metal roofing"?

Isolated design-Aside from not fitting the context of the neighborhood, this structure doesn't even begin to make the best use of the space provided on the six lots it occupies.  The dominance of the garage, the starkness of the materials, and the ample supply of dead-space around the building means little interaction between residents and the rest of the neighborhood.

Cheap Materials and Zero Craftsmanship-Peaceful Valley is a very hot market.  The past five years have seen much new development of some rather expensive homes.  One would think that a developer building down there might consider materials and craftsmanship as key attributes to which buyers would pay some attention.  Here though, we see vinyl siding torn to allow access for utility connections and $0.89 tin letters identifying which garage goes with which unit. It's hard to believe that for $150,000, this is some of the quality one gets.   What potential homeowner would settle for this?  Spokane, that sound you now hear is Kirtland Cutter spinning in his grave.   

"Iceburg, Dead Ahead!"-Convention Center Expansion

The Spokane Public Facilities District, a Washington municipal corporation, is working with General Contractor Hoffman-Bouten in a major addition and remodel of the Convention Center, as designed by Integrus Architecture and LMN Architects.  Part of the necessary funding was from a voter approved bond, additionally a Federal Brownfield Grant is in remediation.

Groundbreaking was July 1, 2004 with completion aimed for 2006.  When finished, 100,000 new square feet and underground parking garage will be some of the features.  For more information and a photo gallery visit the Spokane Public Facilities District online.

Critique: The design of the new Convention Center matches the footprint of a massive boat.  It is incompatible with the historic downtown design and blocks the view of the Spokane River to its north.  Surprisingly, it under-utilizes the space by not expanding the height and potential functions of the space.  Ideally, it would allow for a mix of uses including, retail, hotel, office and housing topped with a green roof.

The economic benefits are certainly researched with the creation of more jobs and events to draw people to the city center.  Additionally, the best effect is the increase in diverse regional events that expand the culture of Spokane County.

Riverpoint or Riverdull?

One has to wonder what the architects were thinking when they laid out the Riverpoint campus. They effectively created an island. While designing some impressive (some might say oppressive) structures, Riverpoint is essentially a suburban campus, and as such it has all the excitement of a strip mall. The tendency of some at EWU and WSU to refer to the campus as ‘urban' is misleading; they’re really only referring to the location and not the design. The damaging effects of single-use exclusionary zoning are obvious: isolation, auto-dependence, lack of nearby services, anti-pedestrian, and a general lack of life. If anything, Riverpoint suffers from land use imbalance. 

The new structures at Riverpoint first started appearing around 1994. Overall there are three (four if one counts the administrative buildings for the Community Colleges of Spokane). All the buildings are large, expansive structures made of concrete and brick that turn their backs to the street; an unforgivable crime for any follower of Jane Jacobs. Let’s not even talk about the building setbacks.

The campus is ideally situated to build strong connections with the surrounding areas, but the campus’s design won’t let it. Located to the west is the civic center of downtown Spokane.  For most students and staff the campus is too far of a walk to the ample service businesses located near Division. To the South, the campus is cutoff from Sprague Avenue by vast parking lots and a rail line. To the west the River and a vast open space divides the Riverpoint from the restaurant rich corridor of Hamilton   Avenue.

 Given these designed limitations, there may be a bigger role for Riverpoint in the city’s grand plans. Last month city and business leaders unveiled the long awaited ‘draft’ Strategic Master Plan for the University District. It’s massive. At over 180 pages, the ‘draft’ Strategic Master Plan looks impressive. MetroSpokane is anxious to dig through it and let some of the concepts gel before we pass any judgment. For as much grief we give the Riverpoint Campus, both it and the University District Strategic Plan are a beginning. Add in the new administrative building currently under construction, the future Institute for Shock Physics Lab, and we might just have ourselves a silicon strip mall.