MetroSpokane

Walgreens Update: Grand Avenue a little less grand...

Ahhh...Grand Avenue, one of Spokane's finest streets.  Driving up past St. John's Cathedral, slipping under the tree-covered canopy along Manito Park, the fine old homes, quaint small businesses nestled into the fabric of the neighborhood...and then you hit 29th and Grand.  WTF?  Friends, it looks like Walgreens has brought their "D" plans to the South Hill.  Not that 29th and Grand was any great bastion of pedestrian friendliness, but this was a prime opportunity to change that and it went uncontested.  A well-sited building can be a wonderful thing.

Spokane's Fox Theater gets its marquees back...

The restored blue 'beacon' sign atop the FOX theater was an excellent touch in the ongoing restoration of the Fox Theater.  It'll certainly bring some evening interest to the Spokane skyline.  More important for those at ground level though is the work underway bringing back the amazing marquees on the north and south sides of the building.

STOREFRONT: Cat's Meow moving into former Junebugs location

SOUTH PERRY DISTRICT - It took awhile, but the former Junebugs building in has a new tenant...almost.  The Cat's Meow a new veterinary clinic has hung up a temporary sign indicating their opening is imminent.  As the name suggests this is a felines-only shop, so all you dog people will have to find love somewhere else.  Although, given the large number of dogs we see getting toted along to The Shop on a Saturday morn, it makes us think they've effectively cut their market in half.  Still, we think it's a perfect fit for a neighborhood business district.

Bike Lanes appear on South East Boulevard

Remember that $50k approved by city council for bike lanes to be added to South East Boulevard?  Well, they're in and they look pretty slick.  Property owners and drivers will be pleased with the new and improved surface, and we're certain that bike commuters will be as well.

Bucky Fuller owns the Lower South Hill

The concrete wall just before the "Y" on Ben Garnett Way and Ninth Ave has long been a magnet for taggers.  For the past few weeks however the lone profile of Buckminster Fuller has risen above it all.  The wheatpastie image was lifted from a U.S. stamp commemorating the FAIA architect, inventor, and engineer.  Father of the geodesic dome, the stamp incorporates his patented dome with his bald head.  So why the sudden appearance on Ben Garnett Way?  We have absolutely no idea.

STOREFRONT: Rick's Grocery now on Monroe

The old 4,000 holes storefront on North Monroe has a new tenant.  After a long vacancy in the prime location Rick's Grocery has set up shop.  Now into their third week in operation, we ducked inside and found the usual convenience store offerings along with some staples like fruit, vegetables, and eggs in the cooler. The 'grab-n-go' has settled in to a great high-profile, high-traffic location on the corner of Monroe and Maxwell.  Combine that with an ample supply of multi-family and single-family housing in the surrounding blocks and we might have a win-win for everyone in the nabe.

Famous Spokanites: Chuck Jones

So what do Pepé LePew, Wile E. Coyote, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Tom 'n' Jerry, and The Grinch all have in common?  They were all characters Chuck Jones worked with in productions he either wrote, produced or directed during his extensive career in animation.  The first two, Pepé LePew and Wile E. Coyote are characters he actually created along with the Road Runner.  What does Chuck Jones have to do with Spokane?

Saranac Hotel and Magic Lantern: Open house two-fer:

Have your plans firmed up for the weekend?  If so, change them.  If not, you're in luck.  This Friday and Saturday is the official open house/grand opening for the Saranac Hotel and the Magic Lantern.  The block between Browne and Division on Main Avenue has completely reinvented itself over the past few years. 

Going from empty storefronts to what is easily the largest concentration of non-profit organizations in the city is no small feat.  Oh, and while were at it, why not throw in a new art film house (finally!) with two screens, the largest solar array in state and a building that will likely be LEED Platinum when all is said and done. 

National Park(ing) Day - This Friday, 9/21/07

Originating in San Francisco in 2005, Park(ing) Day has gone national, actually international.  The one-day event is a call to artists and citizens to come together and create temporary public parks or Park(ing) Spaces in parking spots across the city.  A quick look at their Park(ing) Space mashup reveals just how huge this event has become in San Francisco.  The event is now national and is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land.  A list of participating cities is impressive.  Hell, even Vancouver, WA is planning a Park(ing) Space.

We're pretty sure this has never occurred here in Spokane, so we're holding out hope that some group of inspired locals have some big plans for a nice metered spot downtown.  If someone does make it happen, be sure and send us some footage.  Don't forget to feed the meter!

• Video from Park(ing) Day 2006
• Park(ing) Day "How To" manual
• Background on Park(ing) Day

TC Taxi's Prius Cabs: Blue+White=Green

For the numerous air passengers who opt to catch a cab from the airport to their final destination their options are now a little greener.  TC Taxi, Inc. out of the Tri-Cities is up and running in Spokane and a large portion of their fleet looks to be hybrids, as in the Toyota Prius hybrid.  Long gone are the yellow, gas-guzzling Ford Crown Victoria of yesteryear. 

Nowadays the shift to hybrids makes sense with petroleum topping $80/barrel and gas prices hovering around $2/gallon.  Greencab in San Francisco is doing it, STITA at Sea-Tac, and Vancouver, BC has had a number of hybrid taxis for years.  We're in good company, and you benefit as well.  Hands down, swapping a cleaner Prius for an exhaust-belching Crown Vic is progress in our book.

Tasty! A Feast with Friends-Wednesday, 9/26

To borrow a term from a friend, do you consider yourself food-focused?  How about a supporter of the local economy?  If you answered yes to either question, we may have the event for you.  Next Wednesday Futurewise will be hosting "A Feast with Friends" at the Cafe MAC located in the Museum of Arts and Culture.  According to the press release:

"This open style reception features progressive culinary tastings.  Each station will have a special dish made from ingredients provided by local farms and food providers and will also be paired with a premier Washington wine.  So fill up your plate and hold up your glass in support of Futurewise's work to protect farm land and promote healthy communities."

Given the list of restaurants, wineries, and most important of all, the local producers, you won't want to miss this event.  Full details after the jump.

• Futurewise - Feast with Friends-Wednesday, 9/26 6-9pm
• Museum of Arts and Culture [GMAP]

Kendall Yards - Controlled Explosion Goodness

For the past two years the big development story around here has been all Kendall Yards, all the time.  First came the cleanup, but only recently the dirt started moving for site prep and in a big way.  Beginning last week, much of the 'former' basalt outcropping was systematically dismantled.  To ease the task, a little TNT was used to get out some of the more stubborn stuff.  The video above was taken from what appears to be the vantage point of the health building.  Wait for the slo-mo replay at the end.  Those Black Rock folks mean business.

• Video: Controlled Explosion at Kendall Yards

Conversion Bliss: Manito Court

There's a particular style of apartments that sprouted up in established neighborhoods across the city during the 1970's.  Cladded in a beige rock-like sheathing with bulbous patios, teardowns of existing housing must have been an inexpensive option.  Now after 30+ years they're getting a new lease on life as condo-conversions.  The latest one we've spotted, Manito Court, is on Grand Avenue four blocks south of (your guessed it) Manito Park.  There's a frenzy of remodeling activity going on here as all fourteen units appear to be getting the ol' 'fix-it-flip-it updates'.  The new landscaping is so fresh you can see the seams in the freshly laid lawn.  Passing by, an interesting integrated stainless-steel sign/waterfeature makes it clear you've arrived at Manito Court.  Perhaps the most perplexing additions are the new gated entrances, which mean your car will be safe as you pull into your reserved spot in...the carport?

STOREFRONT: City Yoga...is on the Hill

Continuing with our South Hill theme this week after a stint downtown, City Yoga, an ashtanga yoga school, completed it's move to the Hill this July.  Two things struck us about the two month old location.  The first was that this place is embedded in the neighborhood just like the "olden days".  There's something we like about a successful business operating in the midst of single family housing in a non-imposing kind of way.  We're not sure what the neighbors think, but it gave the nabe a hip yet restful vibe.  The church pew and bike rack out front were nice added amenities.

The second was the tastefully done interior.  From what we could see of the inside (a class was in session so we opted out of blundering in on them) a nice entry area for greeting customers, a glass door with the symbol "aum" in green, and spanking new wood floors.  For those intimidated by the thought of doing yoga a few nice brochures were available outside the main entry providing an overview of yoga, classes offered, workshops and prices.

City Yoga
505 E. 24th Ave.
Spokane, WA 99203
509-869-4121
Website

South Hill streetlife...

If there's any question how well an old park can serve a neighborhood, look no further than the Cannon HIll neighborhood.  The park, just off 18th and Lincoln Street, is tucked away surrounded by some of the finest historic homes in Spokane (just ask the developers of the gated Elkridge Heights -caution annoying music).  While the park is an amazing design and amenity, so too are the tree-lined streets that stretch into the adjoining areas.

Heylman in his own words...

If you were to ask any random Spokanite what the most recognizable building in Spokane is, chances are someone would mention either the Public Health Building or the Parkade (We profiled them in an earlier post).  But while the structures are quite recognizable and familiar to people here, less well known is some of the history behind the gentleman who designed them:  Warren Cummings Heylman.

Our appreciation of the internet and Mr. Heylman's work collided recently when we stumbled upon the Inland Northwest Memories Project and a document titled:  Heylman, Warren C.:  Oral History of  WWII & Korea Navy and Spokane Architect.  It's a transcribed interview with Mr. Heylman from 2005 and provides insight into his approach. 

"For myself I have always wanted to take, and simply find the logical and simplest answer to a design problem.  Simplicity is often very difficult to find.  It sometimes is the complicated answer is not the right answer."

Hands down, he's one of Spokane's most significant (and underappreciated) architects.  A Fellow with the American Institute of Architects his work has won 24 awards over the years.  Regardless of what you think about his work, visit the TINCAN.org site and get educated on Spokane.

Interview with Mr. Warren C. Heylman (pdf)

Taxes and low-income workers in Spokane

By now you've all probably spent or reinvested your tax-refunds...that is if you received one this year.  With an increasing amount of attention being focused on the low-income residents of our community, we took a look at who's receiving the Earned Income Tax-Credit (EITC) in Spokane.  The EITC, "is a refundable federal income tax credit for low-income working individuals and families," and can be an important injection of cash for low-income working households. 

Quite often these low-income working individuals and families turn to a third party to prepare their tax returns.  This alone isn't a problem.  What is a problem is when they choose to get their tax-refund almost immediately using Refund Allocation Loans (RALs).  These quick refund loans (1-2 days) actually have fees in the triple-digit interest rates when annualized, taking a big chunk out of the refunds of those who need it most in our community.  We dug into the data for Spokane to see how those low-income workers receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) fared for tax year 2004. 

Parking meters for the homeless..

This may be old news for some, but the unique idea Denver, CO unveiled this Spring caught our attention.  In March the City of Denver installed 36 refurbished parking meters randomly on sidewalks across downtown in an effort to reduce panhandling.  Instead of forking over change directly to panhandlers people can make a point to drop spare change into the meters.  The contributions are then directed to food and services to help homelessness.  The idea was based on a similar effort in Baltimore, MD apparently.  In it's first month over $2,000 had been raised.  What a simple and creative approach.