MetroSpokane

Where in the world is Yardley Point...?

UNIVERSITY DISTRICT - The name Yardley Point is a new one to us.  For years, we've been living with the understanding that Yardley is located in the Spokane Valley near Havana and Broadway.  Apparently it's also the name for the little lobe of land near Trent and Hamilton that is home to Habitat for Humanity Surplus Building Supply.  While not the most beautiful corner in the city, it sure sees a lot of traffic and that's a big driver in the $2.5 million price tag.  Being smack-dab in the middle of the University District and near the river doesn't hurt either.  At one time there were mumblings of plans for this parcel - something about student housing to serve the University District.  New Rule: No more properties/developments using the word YARD.

Until that time, Habitat for Humanity has some good deals on surplus tile.

• Listing - Yardley Point [NAIBlack]

Extreme Makeover: Ye Ol' Selkirk Building

If Extreme Makeover had an office building edition this would be it.  The former Selkirk Building (506 W. 2nd) and the adjoining parcel sold last year for the tidy sum of $770K.  The new owners, Sun Devil Development, look to be dropping some change to spruce the place up.  The reconfiguration will mean two retail condos, four office condos, and a basement space.  The upside:  The 13,000sqf building is losing the fancy sheet metal, revealing the transoms, cleaning up that brick, adding a new side entry, and throwing in some  nice awnings.  The downside:  That side entry will front on the ample new surface parking for 32 (There's a parking shortage downtown, remember?).  Eh, can't have it all.  BUS DRIVER - MOVE THAT BUS!!!

• Listing - 506 W. 2nd [NAIBlack]
• 506 W. 2nd [GMAP]

A little distraction from the snow...

We'd like to offer you a break from the constant coverage of the 'shock and awe' of RECORD BREAKING SNOW.  Please enjoy the following video.  Just think in a mere 5 months this could be you..

EVERYBLOCK - A new slant on local information

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."

Ashplace Cottages: A Northside answer to innovative infill

NORTHWEST NEIGHBORHOOD - If The Abbey wasn't quite your location or your thing the Ashplace Cottages just might do the trick.  Located across the street from Drumheller Springs on the bluff overlooking the city, this is some smart infill and quite possibly the first of it's kind in Spokane. 

Ashplace Cottages (floorplans and sample house above) will sport nine units on just over an acre of land.  Each unit will have it's own private landscaped area, front on a shared open space, and will be no bigger than 1,000 sqf. per the zoning code that encourages this type of infill.  A key element is that parking is also centralized and deemphasized from the individual homes which are meant to reflect the existing neighborhood design.  The focus of the project is to offer decreased square footage for higher-quality finishes thereby keeping the costs down.  The units will go for around $169K and include two beds and two baths.  Building is expected to begin in March and three of the homes should be done by mid-to-late summer. 

Long a popular infill option in Seattle and Portland, it's nice to see some innovative (and attainable) housing starting to hit the market in Spokane.

• The Abbey: Density everyone should love [MetroSpokane]
• Ashplace Cottages [GMAP]
• Listing Agent [Windermere]

Spokane International Airport: We're Number 2!

[Photo grabbed from airportjournals.com]

One of the great things about our airport has to be the ease of access.  Getting in and out, dropping someone off or picking them up is pretty much a breeze.  Apparently the same goes for flight departures.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics just released its Airport on time performance data for all of 2007 and SIA (or GEG!) came in second behind Honolulu.  Via Elliot.org a tipster informs us that according to the data last year 86.34% of all domestic flights left on time from Spokane.  Outstanding!  First we dominate in the 2007 RICHARD A. GRIESBACH EXCELLENCE IN AIRPORT CONCESSIONS CONTEST and now this?  Just another reason to luv mid-size cities, wouldn't ya say?

Full lists below >>>

An idea for the Spokane Art School...

The news a couple weeks back that the Spokane Art School would be putting their building up for sale was quite the downer.  If nothing else, the school and location was a pretty good manifestation of art in Spokane for the past 23 years.  The thousands of classes taught over the years exposed people of all ages to a very basic concept:  get out there and create something.

But we're convinced this turn of events doesn't have to be the death-knell for art in this building.  How about a conversion to live-work condos?  Now before you start ranting about overpriced condos hear us out.  The concept would be to target these live-work spaces at artists, but above all make them affordable.  The devil is in the details as the big challenge would be to take this relatively small building (10,000 sqf) and make it pencil.  Funds are out there that in all reality could be used to help make something like this happen.  With a future science/children's' museum proposed down the street, and a couple other condo projects as well, such a project could add some depth to this interesting part of downtown.  Yeah, we're idealists...

For sale: Your very own Flour Mill

It's not every day that the Historic Flour Mill comes up for sale and the price at $5.9 million may seem a touch steep.  Consider though the long list of amenities:  City skyline views, riverfront, arena, walk to Upper Falls Senior High Condos for swank summer parties at the Bretts, the list goes on.  Own a sizable chunk of Spokane History.

• Listing-Flour Mill [Kiemle-Hagood]
  

Touching Base: Kennedy Anchors Ruby

It seems like just last fall we were fawning all over the completed Kennedy Apartments-Phase I.  Phase II is underway and growing like a weed over on Boone and Ruby.  More important though is how this group of buildings is transforming that intersection.  It's a smart site plan that is respectful of it's urban setting (built to the curb-parking in the middle-permeable facade).  Compare it to this.

Architect ALSC [ALSC homepage]
Boone and Ruby [GMAP]

More views below...

Paulsen Building Penthouse - On top of Spokane

 

For anyone who's ever pondered Spokane's Skyline the Paulsen Medical and Dental Building is easily one of the most recognizable landmarks.  At the top of the fifteen-story skyscraper sits perhaps Spokane's most exclusive  (if not highest) private residence.  The solitary penthouse was home to members of the Paulsen Family for over seventy years, and a few weeks back we gained access to the now vacant residence to have a look around.

It's a decent-sized space inside with two bedrooms, three baths, and a servants quarters tucked way in the back.  The kitchen is modest by today's standards, and the living room and dining/sun room are quite large.  As you'd expect, the views from inside are pretty much unmatched by any residence in town (yes, even Upper Falls), but the real fun begins when you step outside onto the wraparound patio.  Long gone is the sixty year old arborvitae that was a landmark itself (In 1996 it partly fell to the twelfth floor roof during the ice-storm).  Still, it's all about the view.  From up there, and in every direction, you're looking at Spokane in an unfamiliar way.  It's like seeing your city for the first time again and it's pretty cool.

Highlight - The gun closet directly across from the wet bar.

• Paulsen Building History - [City of Spokane Historic Preservation Office]
• August Paulsen - [Wikipedia entry]