[Image by bryantspokane via Flickr ]
From the MetroSpokane inbox a reader asks the following:
"I have been going over this question with a lot of
people that I know, and no one has an answer for me, so I thought maybe your readers can
help me with the question. When was the Toll taking off of the Maple street toll
bridge?"
Leave your sage wisdom in the comments section below.
[If you've a burning question about any of the topics we cover then send it in to metrospokan@gmail.com. If you're lucky it may experience the therapeutic advice of our readers]
An intrepid MetroSpokane reader needs some space...art workspace that is. The Davenport Arts District jumped out at us as a good spot, but the working artist studios down there have been slim-to-none what with the revitalization and all. Our reader submits the following:
"Can you point me in a direction: we will be returning to Spokane and are looking for an artist loft-ish workspace downtown for about a year. Where would you go to look for such a thing? I was kind of hoping that one of the projects might be on hold and the owner might rent out something partially finished while waiting for happier times....
Also, I want to make it clear that I am only looking for a workspace, not a live/work. My husband wants to do some painting, so we're really looking for a crummy garage or something. But it needs to be on the bus, as he doesn't drive."
Readers...have at it, and impart your wisdom in the comments section below.
This question arrived in the MetroSpokane inbox yesterday so we thought we'd throw it out to our knowledgeable readers for some perspective. A regular reader is trying to make a choice between a condo in the West End or East End:
"I would love to see a discussion about whether it is better to buy at the west end (1st Ave-Fox District) or east end (University District) taking into account the differences in prices, the nearby attractions currently, and the likelihood of appreciation over the next 5-10 years based on the UD expanding and the arts district expanding (which seems hard to predict). I would also like to hear people's thoughts regarding what and when things will happen in the UD (foot bridge, light rail, etc)."
Your points of view in the comments section below, and your questions heartily accepted at MetroSpokan@gmail.com.
[Photo 'leveraged' from Cinemafia]
Spokane is in the midst of reinventing itself. We're attempting to migrate from the resource-based economy of yesteryear to one more focused on knowledge (read research, patents, biotech, etc.). One thing is for certain and that is our region's economy gets dissed a lot because of an abundance of service industry positions.
At first glance it seems like a dire situation. The real money is in recruiting the Blue-Rays or whomever to settle in our fertile valley here in Spokane...or is it. Richard Florida, known for his astute observations and research on the creative class, thinks service industry-based economies may have something more going for them. He's raising some interesting questions regarding service economies up in Toronto. Can they be the well paying manufacturing jobs of today? Why or why not? He questions:
"Why not say, from a research and development standpoint, from an innovation standpoint, from a job security standpoint, from a flexible work environment standpoint: How do we make our service sector thrive?
"How do we develop a regional strategy to strengthen this? No one's ever done this."
It's an interesting topic to ponder. We have a lot of service work here why not embrace it and do as he says. If you could make $23/hour+ in a service position would you work it?
[First Night photo courtesy of Mista Yuck via Flickr]
By now you've all settled back into your daily routine of work, school, retirement, what have you. But before we get too far into the first month of 2008 we're starting to think about what this next year will mean for Spokane. Last year we lobbed-out some real softball predictions and surprisingly a couple of them were close (the others we were waaaaay off).
This year we're not going to venture into any predictions. Instead we want to hear from you what your wishes are for Spokane in 2008. It's a new year with spankin' new opportunities for our City, and if things could change what would they be? Maybe you think all is well; that's cool too. The stream of consciousness begins in the comments section below.
From a longtime reader in Seattle we received the following question over the weekend:
"I went to brunch in Belltown this
morning and passed by the Expo 62
condos near Seattle Center of Course.
Seattle's EXPO62 Condos
Now why hasn't some developer in
Spokane thought of honoring Expo 74
with a set of condos? Maybe whomever
buys the YWCA should name their condos
Expo 74. Spokanites would love it."
This has to be the most brilliant idea we've heard of in a long while. With as much veneration that people give the event that "put Spokane on the map", imagine for a moment what a condo development based on EXPO74 would be like.
Today a cry for help, dear readers. Cruising over on the SkyscraperPage Forum, we read the following message from a soon to be transplant from Tempe, AZ. The writer, known to us only as SunDevil, looks to be attending Gonzaga in the fall and has a few questions about our fair city:
"Moving up to Spokane in August! Was wondering what some of your thoughts are on where to live. I would like to live downtown since it's close to school, Gonzaga. However, I have been told NOT to live downtown. Is it really that bad? Moving up from Tempe, AZ I was wondering what to expect as far as rent in the area, here it's about $780 for a 2 br 1 bath 660 sq. ft. in a not too nice part of town."
So have at it all you readers and lurkers. Now is you're chance to share that surplus of useful Spokane knowledge you've built up over the years. In the comments section give our new friend the lowdown on places to check out for living. Be sure and talk neighborhoods, rent, number of rooms, etc.
Just for grins Google "female real estate developer". The results aren't terribly impressive.
We started pondering this question after a recent Smart City Radio show profiled two women developers: one from Pittsburgh and the other from Boston. Real estate in Spokane is hardly exclusively the domain of men in our area. Look at any classifieds on any Sunday morning and you'll see any number of women representing fine properties and homes throughout our area.
Continue reading "So, uh, where are the women developers?" »
Nobody but the Inlander doubts that redevelopment in downtown Spokane is well on its way. Our post on Wednesday and the subsequent comments raised the question of whether people would be interested in living in some other business district other than downtown. Specifically we called out the North Monroe corridor as an example, but Spokane has numerous other options where dense mixed-use is encouraged.
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.
From a reader who's been gleaning the Tomlinson-Black MLS site comes this question about the best use for an aging building on west First:
"I saw that the building at the other end of 1st ave. from the Otis Hotel is For Sale. It is listed with Tomlinson-Black. It is a big
building on the last block that has not been gentrified in anyway. I am interested to hear what you think may be the most likely outcome of this sale."
The ol' Jefferson Hotel, across from the ol' Greyhound Station (picture this place in 1987). Sale price in 1990: $125,000. Asking price today: $1.3 million. Whatever the outcome, we doubt it will contain the word "affordable" in the title. Armchair developers, now is your chance, leave your ideas in the comments section. For everyone else, send future tips to metrospokan@gmail.com.
