We like BIG ideas, but for Spokane, BIG ideas seem to have gone the way of EXPO '74.
When I-90 sliced through downtown in the 60s it severed the connection to the lower South Hill. In some places physically in the form of a concrete barrier, but in others it did so only spacially. In the latter, it left a swath of land nearly a block wide that is very inhospitable to pedestrians and most civicly productive activities. In essence it created a dead zone that contributes little to the area surrounding it on 4th and 3rd Avenue.
A visit this weekend to City Comforts led us to this posting which we found very interesting and very applicable to downtown Spokane. While Seattle continues to debate the merits of rebuilding/burying/tearing down their Viaduct we have the luxury (?) of ours being with us for a great while longer. Why not consider reclaiming that area underneath I-90 and use it for more productive use as they have in Paris and in London? Besides adding to our tax-base, it could become a catalyst for much more intensive use along 3rd Ave., which in parts is heavily auto-centric and little more than a drain on city coffers.
Farmers' Market looking for a home? Access from I-90 couldn't be better. Artist studios? It could be a space reminiscent of the old Second City area prior to the Farm Credit Building. Climbing walls? The location one block from Wild Walls could leverage and build upon activities there.
To quote David Sucher: "The vision set forth here... is affordable, practical and urbane". Consider for a moment what uses and structures these spaces could support.
Time to think BIG again Spokane.
Well there is already a skatepark underneath the freeway, but also much of the freeway is used for parking. This parking is pretty essential for LC students, EWU students who use the park & ride, not to mention everyone else who uses the parking during big spokane events like hoopfest and bloomsday. Besides that, adding shops or aparments/condos underneath could add quit a bit of expense/hassle when we have to repave the freeway in another 20 years.
Posted by: Leio | July 11, 2006 at 03:24 PM
Sure. There also are some relics of a few tennis courts from 1965 as well. The skate park is a great use in our opinion, but the idea is to consider ways to bridge the gap that currently exists between downtown and the South Hill. The status quo won't help. In 20 years, we fully expect downtown to be entirely more built out (we're hopeful). Are you making the case that ample parking is essential for an inner-city school students? This isn't Mead, Wa...
As for the cost...who knows what the expense will be? That's a discussion for later. Right now, the space is a weakness. Let's think beyond 'ample free parking'.
Posted by: METROSPOKANE | July 11, 2006 at 06:29 PM
I was simply pointing out the groups who make good use of the space right now. A dowtown park & ride to Cheney seems like a program we should be supporting, and I can't think of a better place for it. I'm all for development downtown, but in the devlopment of any space you must figure out what it is going to cost and who it is going to effect. I can think of many other buildings/blocks downtown I'd like to see redeveloped/revitalized first. This space serves a practical purpose. My fear is seeing a Spokane downtown like Seattle, where you must pay 7-12$ to park for a few hours. Nor would I like to see an investment by the city in a project that would lead to higher taxes down the road, we can't even pay our bills now.
Posted by: Leio | July 13, 2006 at 10:34 PM
Leio-
First off, thanks for the post. You raise some good points. We agree that the park n' ride is an excellent use of an underutilized space and we're huge advocates of transit. It should play a bigger role in Spokane. Still, there is a higher and better use for which this area under the freeway could be used.
At this point we're not advocating for the city to invest in anything. We're merely presenting an idea that has many, many benefits (connecting places, increased revenue-broke city, placemaking, improved personal safety, etc.) and not a lot of downside.
So, with regards to the concept, don't you agree that there are portions of the area under I-90 that could be improved in such a manner?
Posted by: Metrospokane | July 13, 2006 at 11:54 PM
I completely agree something should be done with the existing space that is not utilized (like the tennis courts). And it is definately an interesting space to develop!
Posted by: Leio | July 19, 2006 at 03:39 PM
I don't really think that the parking is needed under the freeway. Any LC student with a brain wouldn't park under the freeway, there are cars on blocks almost every week. Add some funky sculptures and concrete art.
Yeah, during big events the parking lots are used, and removing them will make for less parking. But the (lack of) the rookery block should make up for the utf lots.
Posted by: William | December 24, 2006 at 11:04 PM