If you're still interested in submitting a proposal for your vision of the Pine Street Property on the Riverpoint Campus you better get a move on. The RFQ deadline is this Thursday, April 17th at 2PM. Remember, we want mixed use and urban. Keep the office parks away. If you don't plan on submitting but are just curious about the details of the RFQ then by all means download the pdf below.
The third over-the-top intersection is our favorite if only because it includes a heli-port. Yes, a heli-port. We're not sure why residents would need to land a helicopter near the intersection of Division and North River Drive, but there it is. And who would be flying in to the North Bank of downtown anyways? Looking at these images (from 46 years ago), one thing is for certain, and that's how the unobstructed movement of the personal auto was primary. Any sense of urbanity and the human scale has been completely stripped away.
For our second installment of "Thank God they never implemented that", we bring you the West Central Cloverleaf. Bringing a little bit of Los Angeles love to West Cent, they were clearly forecasting that a lot of traffic would be heading east and west by 1980. As for the shape, it was quite possibly a premonition of things to come...
Next up: "Why, yes that is a heli-pad"
A few weeks back we posted about the 1961 Ebasco Plan and how its twin-loops solution for traffic pretty much screwed up downtown. But for all that negative impact there's so much more in the plan that was never implemented. Most obvious are the grandiose on-and-off ramps that were designed to create an 'outer ring' of limited access roads drivers could use to bypass downtown and (supposedly) congestion.
[Photo by Rachel Schell via the MetroSpokane photo pool]
From the MetroSpokane tipline a reader writes:
"See the brief post here included as an addition to an article our own Mike Edwards is having published in next month’s issue of Parks & Recreation Magazine. (The full article will cover both Pittsburgh and Spokane, of course)."
[Mike Edwards was the previous president of the Downtown Spokane Partnership and is now the President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.]
Check out the post. It's a quick Q&A on the positive impact that high quality public spaces (specifically sites for parks and recreation) can have on a local economy. We're looking forward to getting our hands on the full length article.
While our region is blessed with a bounty of natural assets and recreation opportunities, it's often those just around the block from your house that can benefit you and your neighborhood the most. Think Joe Albi, city pools, skateparks, bmx parks, public gardens, etc. You're throwing down $43 million in tax dollars over the next few years on pools and play fields among other things. Now is the time to give your opinion.
Whether visitor or longtime resident, anyone who has driven in and around downtown has had to deal with the annoyance of the one-way streets. The one-way streets you enjoy today are actually a result of downtown's first master plan completed in 1961 (we love eBay). The plan, known as the Ebasco Plan, developed the strategy of a twin inner-loop system of one-way couplets cons
isting of an outer-loop (Spokane Falls Blvd-Monroe-1st-Washington) moving traffic in a counter-clockwise direction while the inner-loop (Main-Stevens-Sprague-Lincoln) circulated clockwise. These one-way couplets were suggested to be implemented first because, according to the plan it would reduce accidents and delays at troublesome intersections. Forty years later we're not sure if this has been the result or not.
SPOKANE VALLEY - Ahhh...East Sprague Avenue out in the Valley: Ten miles of wide-open public right-of-way flanked by some of the lowest low-rise development and some of the biggest building setbacks you'll ever see. It's the antithesis of urban in every way and if you're a pedestrian, forget it. Things may be changing however.
Continue reading "Sprague and Appleway - Someday there'll be a 'there' there" »
The world of mashups just got a little more interesting: Enter EveryBlock. What Google did for online mapping EveryBlock is attempting to do for aggregating data on the local level. We're talking whatever data you can throw at it: Flickr photos, news stories, building permits, missed connections, restaurant reviews, crime reports, liquor licenses, zoning agenda items, and on and on. Now take this same data and present, sort, chart, or map it by street, neighborhood, zip code, or heck even council district.
Currently it's only available for the big 3 - San Fran, New York, and Chicago. However, at some point this will get local even to Spokane. Excitingly, revealingly, local - and we can't wait.
From the EveryBlock Blog:
"We aim to collect all of the news and civic goings-on that have happened recently in your city, and make it simple for you to keep track of news in particular areas. We're a geographic filter -- a "news feed" for your neighborhood, or, yes, even your block."
Did you know that by 2020 passenger levels at Spokane International Airport are projected to double from 1.7 million to 3.3 million? That's huge! In order to handle that growth, back in 2000 a new Airport Master Plan was developed and resulted in a number of recommendations that focused on Terminal Improvements. These included:
That first item is seen above in bright yellow and compared to the existing old terminal (red) it's a big'un. Of course that means a sweet new 13,000' x 150' runway [RFQ/RFP-PDF] to service it. Just last year the largest and newest air traffic tower in Washington went up and now the RENT-A-CAR Renovation [RFQ/RFP-PDF] is out for bid and should be completed by October 1, 2008.
The word is that the 1st public meeting on the Downtown Plan Update we mentioned earlier went quite well with a pretty healthy turnout. Now we know not everyone can make these meetings, but your input is important nevertheless. Via the MetroSpokane Tipline we were told about another way to provide feedback - An Online Comment Form courtesy the Downtown Spokane Partnership.
This is your chance to touch on those topics that most concern you about YOUR downtown. A true Boulevard for Spokane Falls Boulevard? Change back the one-ways? Improved streetscapes for pedestrians? More bike facilities/lockers/racks/lanes? Etc., etc. So there you go. You've officially been handed the mike, so make it worth your while.
[NOTE:Though the site says comments are due by 12/14 we've heard they're still accepting. So take five minutes and let 'er rip.]
2007 will likely go down as the year bicycle advocates in Spokane were finally heard. Biking infrastructure has made some tremendous gains this year thanks to many dedicated individuals, but we're not satisfied. Looking ahead to 2008 we see the momentum continuing for a city that's safer and more accessible for non-automotive forms of transportation. We think 2008 could be a prime year for the complete streets movement to finally arrive in Spokane.
Complete streets are streets that serve all transportation users and this includes pedestrians, bikes, wheelchairs, transit and autos. Think about the streets you use everyday to get home, to work, to the store, etc. Which ones are designed with all users in mind? It's nothing new in Washington State, in fact Seattle took the bold step of pledging to create complete streets first by passing a resolution and then a city ordinance the following year. Redmond and Kirkland are into it as well...so why couldn't we? C'mon, when you have the AARP and biking advocates on the same side of an issue something is up.
So you've ranted and raved here over the past three years about a wide variety of topics. It's been good...real good. And a large portion of text here has been dedicated towards downtown Spokane with all it's wins and losses.
Well tonight is your chance to give some input that might translate into action as the City of Spokane looks to be updating it's plan for downtown. Bring all your ideas no matter how outlandish. Think a gondola should connect Browne's Addition to the future Kendall Yards? Throw it out there. It's only three hours people so show some love for your city. Opportunities like this don't come around very often, and there'll be loads of free parking. :^p
Details, details, details:
The topic of development density is a hot one in our region right now and will continue to be well into the foreseeable future. Just look east towards the Spokane Valley where the gloves are off and where the topic looks to be a deciding factor in the November elections. There's no doubt that higher densities can provide a whole slew of benefits to urban centers like our own (diffusing infrastructure costs, improved returns on transit, etc.). However providing a mix of densities can serve to provide residents a balance in housing options, while at the same time meeting affordability needs. In our opinion it makes for a more interesting city as well.
Continue reading "Mastering Density - Do you know what density looks like?" »
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?
If you're an artist, there's a chance you've heard of Paducah, Kentucky. If not, you should. The city of Paducah implemented a fantastic incentive program back in 2000 called the Artist Relocation Program, and placed the arts at the center of their economic development strategy. The impact arts have on the local economy cannot be understated. In fact EWU just completed an analysis of the fiscal impact the arts have on Spokane's economy. But Paducah's approach is really quite unique and one we should bring to town.
Continue reading "An idea to copy: Artist Relocation Program" »
During a recent stop in Bozeman on the way to Billings, MT last week it became clear that not all big-box stores are created equal. In Spokane and surrounding environs, the typical blah cinder-block wonder under an acre of roof is where we've set the bar. It's no wonder that the Home Depots in North Spokane and East Sprague in the City of Spokane Valley look remarkably similar. Set low expectations (all of North Division, the 'Y', and East Sprague), and you'll rarely exceed them.
According to Bob Gibbs of Gibbs Planning Group, when a big-box developer comes to town they generally have four designs (A,B,C, and D) ranging from unique (or sensitive to local character) to Anywhere, USA, and they are ready to build one of those. Which one gets built depends heavily upon how much push back the company receives from local residents and officials about design and it's importance. Retail Consultant Bob Gibbs says as much: “Cities need to have high design standards for signage, lighting and building design and be willing to enforce those standards,” says Gibbs."
One big event last week was the news that the Friends of the Falls has met its funding goals for the whitewater park - a key priority of the Great Spokane River Gorge Plan (table of contents - pdf 3.3 mb). For all the obvious reasons (final design, permitting, construction of the park) we're thrilled about this huge milestone. Everyone knows that city planning often gets a bad rap when plans go unfulfilled. Implementation, friends, is what it's all about and this should be suh-weet sound to our city's residents. According to a quote from Steve Faust - Director of Friends of the Falls:
“Given the time needed to permit the project, we expect to begin construction of the whitewater features and support facilities no earlier than May 2008, with project completion in October 2008”
Continue reading "Why the Great Spokane River Gorge Park Plan will save Highbridge Park..." »
[Photo courtesy Austinspace]
Question: Any idea where the closest agricultural land is in relation to downtown Spokane (answer at the end of the post)?
There's a good chance you're familiar with New Urbanism as a concept (if not check out New Urbanism here). A new movement hoping to strengthen the ties between cities and farms is called New Ruralism. The concept is to blend sustainable agriculture with smart growth policies and it's something that is catching on all over the country. In some places, people are paying dearly for homes in new ruralism-type developments.
An article in last week's Spokesman-Review mulls a number of potential sites for a new year-round farmer's market. An interesting list it was: Jensen-Byrd Building, Old Costco Building, the Crescent Services Building, and the Goodyear Tire & Repair shop on Main & Browne. Not bad. But we wondered why a permanent location had to be downtown? Might a more affordable location that is just as accessible, but located outside of the core be possible? We think so.
And with that we give you our top candidate as a location for Spokane's year round farmers market:
Continue reading "Best site for a year-round farmers' market... " »
Spaces work best when there is a connection between a building's inside and outside. City Comforts Rule #2 addresses this: Make the building front permeable (pdf). Think about some of downtown's most pleasant buildings and you can be certain that they provide such a connection. The people inside are visible to the people outside and vice-versa. For a moment consider Bistango, Mizuna, West First, the new Davenport Tower, or Aunties Bookstore - all are designed to provide connectivity, and therefore interaction, between spaces. They're also nice places to stroll.
Continue reading "Rule #2: Make the building front permeable" »
With the Census releasing population estimates for 2006 just last week, we took a look at how the Inland NW stacked up against the Pacific NW. We compared Couer d' Alene, Spokane, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, and Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton (someday we'll have a joint Metropolitan Statistical Area too).
Continue reading "Inland Vs Pacific - Population Estimates Released" »
Ray Oldenburg coined the term "The Third Place." The first place is one's home; the second place is one's office; Third places are those other public locations where informal gatherings and meetings occur. Years ago relaxing and leisure took place in such public locations, and Spokane, like most cities, has a long history of well known ones.
Continue reading "The importance of 3rd places in Spokane" »
Spokane's alleys are a key benefit of our city's extensive grid-pattern of roads and blocks. When you think of the miles of roads in the city, consider that there is an equal number of miles of alleys. Not only do they provide an area for trash pickup and utility infrastructure, but in some neighborhoods they work as informal pathways and shortcuts. Knowing the person across the street is common, but so is knowing the person on the other side of the alley. Most often regarded as a relic of old development patterns, alleys are something new developments around here do without. Opting instead to use the land they consume for additional buildable lots.
Continue reading "Alleyhoods: An affordable housing option for Spokane" »
You may have heard the recent news about the West Plains issue with dwindling water supplies. The area which includes Airway Heights, Cheney, Four Lakes, and Medical Lake is growing like crazy and new housing development is plowing ahead as Spokane and Liberty Lake are seen as pricey places, relatively speaking.
The quote from the Spokesman that raised the hair on our necks: "Water use exceeds recharge by at least 300 percent" (cue the sound of a pin dropping).
Continue reading "West Plains with Less Water = Huge Opportunity" »
Into the Metrospokane Mailbox a former Spokane resident gets rhetorical about public access to the river downtown...including views.
I grew up in Spokane, have not lived there for several years, but visit often to see family and friends. Last week, while strolling along the Centennial Trail in Riverfront Park it occurred to me that the Spokane River has been thoroughly hidden from public view, even more so with the erection of the new convention center. I realize that this area has been reinvented mostly due to Expo '74. But what if.. the majority of the Expo buildings, especially the Opera House and original Convention Center (and DoubleTree Hotel) had been built on the north side of the river? A greenbelt could have been placed along the south side of the river, allowing sweeping views over to the river itself from downtown.
Take a look at the park along the Deschutes River in downtown Bend Oregon for a vision of what could have been. Realizing that of course we can't turn back the clock, those landowners, developers and government planners should consider the fact that urban aesthetics are an important component to quality of community and life and to preserve the natural features and beauty as much as possible in future public and private development in downtown Spokane. There appears to be increased interest in downtown living throughout the country and in Spokane also. Be thoughtful in the process, as once the natural beauty is altered it may never be reclaimed!
So, how are we doing with maintaining the natural environment downtown? All considerate answers and thoughts can find solace in the comments section.
NOTE: We added in the remainder of the letter for clarification.
On occassion we mess around with various real estate websites doing searches of local areas to see what turns up. We've profiled a few of the better things we've found in the MetroSpokane 'for sale' section. Recently however we thought we'd see how attainable single-family homes stacked up in the city. Data is good, but when mixed with maps it's even better.
Continue reading "Attainable Housing: Go north young man..." »
An interesting article appeared in the Syracuse Post-Standard last fall. The author, Bruce Katz-Director of the Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, takes a look at a key strategy of the New York Govenor: Strive to attract at least 2 percent of each metropolitan area's population to live downtown. Some times simple is best. Such a strategy would have a dramatic effect on revitalizing many of Upstate New York's lagging metropolitan areas.
Continue reading "Consider what 2% could do for Spokane..." »
Despite being over 57 square miles in area (San Francisco-47 square miles), Spokane isn't a very large city (pop. 200,000+/-). This makes for a challenging situation when trying to create places that are vibrant and dynamic. Put another way, few places here have that natural density that enables the kinds of activity you might see on a Capitol Hill or Queen Anne commercial district. These places have densities high enough to allow a good amount of interaction between people. Add in some quality urban design and suddenly your neighborhood is on its way.
Continue reading "Deep Thoughts - Are Spokane's activity Centers too spread out?" »
The Inland Northwest witnessed a frenzy of construction and development activity in 2006 (and we hope the fun isn't over yet). While most of the proposed projects have yet to break ground, clearly our little neck of the woods has been discovered. We have therefore given some thought to the Top 5 Trends and Predictions that will play out in our region over the next twelve months. At first read, it's a tall order, but we think a good number of these have a pretty good chance at happening. We'll get back to you in 12 months..
It's initiative time in WA State once again. On the docket this year is I-933, coined as the 'property rights initiative." With a name like that it seems innocuous enough. However, opponents are alarmingly concerned about the impacts I-933, backed heavily by out of state interests, will have on our cities, towns, environment, and resource land. It's one of a number of similar initiatives hitting the ballots across many western states next week, and we encourage you as taxpayers to study up.
City Different: Achieving Smart Growth in the U-District
If you have the chance we'd suggest you make it over to the Riverpoint Campus this Wednesday afternoon for the first U-District Community Forum. The City of Spokane has lined up a great list of speakers to share and discuss how other cities (like Vancouver, BC) are combining smart growth and higher education districts to create sustainable, vibrant, and innovative neighborhoods. Together these two approaches represent an economic development opportunity like no other in the Inland Northwest.
Continue reading "U-District Community Forum: Achieving Smart Growth in the U-District" »
Is the sun setting on the skywalk era? An issue raised recently by David Blaine in our MetroSpokane photo pool he observes:
"One thing that has happened since Expo 74 is the movement of business from the street up to the skywalk level and back down to the street. The skywalks are not going anywhere, but the question is what role will they play in the new downtown?"
Let's face it, the next ten years or so is going to bring quite a bit of infill to Spokane. Anyone parking a car downtown knows about the availability of infill lots. The reality is, we've only begun to scratch the surface so to speak. There's also a significant amount of opportunity for infill development
in many of our neighborhoods throughout the city, and with that often
times comes some friction.
Photo by metrospokane via the MetroSpokane pool
More mixed-use in store for Lib-Lake (Spokane Journal of Business)
Get yer wallets out-N/S freeway costs going through the roof (Spokane Journal of Business)
'Attainable Housing' Partnership Forms-Lands $700K Grant (Spokesman-Review)
