Council OKs condo tower

A proposed condo tower vigorously opposed by many Peaceful Valley residents won the unanimous approval of Spokane City Council on Monday night.

The decision will stop legal action against the city brought last year by the developers, Mick and Shelley McDowell, after the city’s hearing examiner ruled against their Riverview on Riverside tower and adjacent townhouses project.

The agreement to end the lawsuit also gives the McDowells the ability to lease two city parcels now used as a parking lot for Fire Station No. 1. They hope to build what would be one of the biggest office buildings in the city.

The 17-story residential tower, which would stand near Wilson Avenue and Cedar Street, is essentially the same project that was rejected by the hearing examiner based on height limitations placed into city code in 2002.

Reconsideration of the proposal reignited anger from Peaceful Valley residents who say the tower would create a shadow over their homes and cause the historic character of their neighborhood to fade.

Proponents of the project in downtown, however, responded that it will bring new life to the city core and create more opportunities for people to live and work in the same neighborhood.

An amendment added Monday night could create some flexibility about certain parts of the project – though not on Peaceful Valley’s biggest concern, building height.

At a hearing last week, neighbors testified that they were unimpressed with the public amenities proposed by the McDowells. For instance, the McDowells offered to reconstruct the stairs between Peaceful Valley and Riverside Avenue and better light them. But some residents said they don’t want more light flooding their neighborhood.

The added language will require the McDowells to conduct a meeting with Peaceful Valley residents to consider different options for public amenties.

“In meeting with the developer and the Peaceful Valley neighbors, it became clear that there had really not been any mutual discussions,” said Councilwoman Mary Verner, who proposed the amendment.

Stanley Schwartz, who represents the McDowells, said although the language doesn’t require changes in the public amenities, they will listen to ideas.

“Is there a guarantee? No,” Schwartz said. “Is there communication and an opportunity? Yes.”

Peaceful Valley resident Mariah McKay said she holds little hope that much will change.

“It’s a nice gesture, but I don’t think that it holds water,” she said.

Peaceful Valley resident Patty Norton asked the council to delay its decision so the meeting could happen before a final vote.

“This is truly a moment of opportunity,” she said. “We do not need to be in a hurry.”

The McDowells argued that they were never sent an individual notice about proposed changes in the height restrictions that were approved and affected Riverview. Those rules limit residential buildings to 35 feet on much of the land where the McDowells want to construct the 196-foot tower. They also say the rules don’t make sense, in part because the full tower would have been approved if it was filled with offices.

After agreeing to the settlement, the council responded to the discrepancy in code and unanimously passed an emergency ordinance setting the same height rules in the area between downtown and Peaceful Valley for offices as for residential towers.

Council members said they wanted to make a temporary change to eliminate language that caused the Riverview tower controversy. A hearing on the matter will be held within a month.