MetroSpokane

Storefront: The RIFF-another new bar on Main

A new bar/lounge is in the planning stages at the wee-small building located at 215 W. Main [GMAP].  Officially known as The RIFF, the bar will be the first for bartender Nick Squires and a friend, and as such the size seems just about right.  In what is quite possibly the smallest habitable building in downtown Spokane, the place measures a bountiful 308 square feet according to assessor records which translates into a capacity of only around 18 people.

Google Streetview comes to Spokane

It's official:  Google Streetview has finally made it to the mean streets of Spokane.  Not all of the streets have been mapped but there's enough to keep you busy for hours. 

In order to burn up more of your work day, we'll be accepting your top Spokane Streetview Sightings.  Here's what you'll need to do:

• Cruise the Spokane Streets via Google Maps
• Find a funny, weird or bizarre image
• send us the link - [email protected]

We'll post it online with your description.  Enjoy!

Ask MetroSpokane: Buying a condo downtown-West End or East End?

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 [email protected].

Kendall Yards: Power lines grounded

Notice something missing from the above photo?  All seems quiet on the Kendall Yards front - too quiet.  When we happened by the site yesterday something was amiss.  What?  Where?  How?   Now just when in the hell did they do that? 

In a rather unceremonious manner a pretty significant milestone has been achieved on the site as the main Avista trunk line is no longer suspended across Monroe Street.  We're going to assume they've finally buried them with the only reminder being the freakishly large power poles that now more closely resemble a limbed ponderosa.

• Dirt begins moving on Monday [metrospokane]
• Controlled explosion goodness [metrospokane]

Flipping Spokane...

The 'art' of the flip is still very much alive and well.  Aside from the popular Flip that House TV show YouTube can also be a wonderful resource.  Take for example 27 E. Bridgeport here in Spokane.  Last purchased on 12/14/07 for $61K (according to County records), it's now on the market for...$144K and there's room for you to build a garage.  We smell a bargain.

Truck, meet Viaduct...

...Viaduct, meet Truck.  Happening by the incident, Todd Sackmann snapped this pic on his iphone yesterday and dropped into the MetroSpokane photo pool.  Stevens Street and the viaduct is a bit tighter than it looks.  Not a good way to end the day.

Featured Photo from the MetroSpokane photo pool

[Photographed downtown by Austinspace.  See more photos in the MetroSpokane photo pool]

When it comes to walking we're #215...

On the one hand we have Forbes magazine who loves us, and on the other hand we have the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) who thinks Spokane need some help.  Earlier this month the APMA released it's 2008 listing of America's Best Walking Cities, and out of 500 cities ranked across the US they ranked us #215.  Sure we're no Venice, but certainly we're better than #215, aren't we?

For Sale: Interplayers Building

So have you ever wanted to own your own theater?  Now's your chance...kind of.  The Interplayer's building is up for sale for the asking price of $1.1 million.  The one condition is that the theater organization will be able to lease back all of their existing space critical to putting on performances.  That arrangement should still leave about 5k-7k sqf to do whatever floats your boat.

Our choice:  buy it, lose the wall of glass blocks, lease back space to Interplayers while opening a bar/lounge restaurant on the ground floor.  Theaters generate large volumes of people wanting to spend money on good food and drink (NOTE: AMC, Fox, Magic Lantern, Crosby).  And anyways, wouldn't more evening foot-traffic of the positive kind be nice south of the viaduct?

• Listing: Interplayers Building [Cornerstone]
• Wall St. Condos - Bonus Project? [metrospokane]

Population growth in Spokane County

[Interactive Chart - Population Growth 2000-2007]

The Census Bureau released annual population estimates yesterday and a quick look shows that from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007 Spokane County's population grew 1.9% or about 8,800 people (456,175).  This was slightly higher than the state's growth rate of 1.4%.  Looking back to 2000, which is the base year, our growth has remained pretty steady varying between .2% and last year's 1.9%, and has tracked the state's growth quite closely.

Curiosity led use to compile the data since 2000 for some of our friends inside and outside of our region.  Let's just say if you're in Franklin County (Tri-Cities) you've probably new neighbors.  They've been maintaining a growth rate of at least 5% since 2003.

• Interactive chart-Comparitive growth rates of selected counties [metrospokane]
• Pasco area growing at a fast pace [Seattle Times]