Hagadone garden plan on display

Anybody who wants to see the artist renderings of what Duane Hagadone’s memorial garden would look like in downtown Coeur d’Alene is invited to an open house Thursday at the Coeur d’Alene Resort.

Hagadone representatives will answer questions and explain the plan to the public between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m.

The multimillionaire businessman is asking the city to close two blocks of Sherman Avenue so he can build a memorial garden in honor of his parents. Hagadone told the Coeur d’Alene City Council on Monday that he is willing to pay for the gardens, perpetual maintenance and the cost to reroute downtown traffic – a price tag of about $21 million.

That total includes the value of two pieces of Hagadone property that he promises not to develop if the garden happens. Hagadone would include the former Wilma Theater site at the corner of Second and Sherman, which is currently an open grass area, in the garden plan. He also would forgo developing a waterfront restaurant west of the Hagadone Corp. headquarters, which was approved by the city in the original plans for the Coeur d’Alene Resort. That space also would become part of the 3.4 acre spread of rare flowers and bushes.

Hagadone said the world-class garden would cost $4 million to construct and that he would guarantee at least $15 million to maintain the beds during the next 25 years.

Many locals who attended Monday’s workshop, which was the first time Hagadone presented the plan to the city, complained that they couldn’t see the maps and drawings.

Hagadone also has said that people are confused about the proposal and fear he would close more than two blocks of the main downtown street. He said he’s having the open house to ensure citizens have all the information.

“This whole thing is going to boil down to Sherman Avenue,” Hagadone said. “Everybody loves the gardens and everyone knows I’ll do a good job. The biggest problem I’m having is some just don’t want the street closed and a lot just don’t have the information right.”

Consultants for the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association and the city both said the gardens are a good idea, but that Sherman Avenue must remain open or it would hurt downtown merchants.

The public wasn’t able to comment at the meeting but the council plans to have another workshop in January to give people the chance to voice their opinions. It’s also likely that city residents can vote on the proposal if the council decides Tuesday to have an advisory vote in February.

Hagadone made it clear that the garden project is totally separate from his plan to expand the resort by building a new tower of rooms.

There are two potential locations for the new tower – either on top of the A.G. Edwards building that’s connected to the resort’s retail shops at the corner of Sherman and Front or on top of the resort’s current convention center where the Casco Bay room is located. Hagadone said construction on the new tower probably wouldn’t begin for two to five years.