Grandiose City Hall plans don”t suit Spokane Valley
Remember “Jack and the Beanstalk?”
In our city story, we’re the cash cow, the council is Jack and I’m worried they are ready to trade us for magic beans, hoping to grow a bean stalk with a giant 20-acre city center at the top.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a fairy tale. Spokane Valley is negotiating with University City’s owners as both the city and the Spokane County Library District are poised to choose property. Shouldn’t we be given a say in how this story ends?
A city center has captured the imagination of our Spokane Valley City Council, with the University City site as the favorite location for the past three years.
Spokane Valley desires its own vibrant downtown filled with culture, night life, jobs and tax dollars tinkling into the cash register. City Hall and a new Valley Library are planned between Sprague and Appleway, approached by a grassy parkway fanned by more retail stores.
The council is mesmerized with a city center so irresistible, rich folks will be scrambling to live above shops in swanky apartments, work and buy the center’s wares by day, and toast the town overlooking a dazzling view of STA’s parking lot by night.
This rosy picture is a public and private financial gamble. While a city center is a great idea, why must City Hall make such a big footprint when there is another option?
This summer, the Pring family offered to sell Spokane Valley 8.4 undeveloped acres across the street from University City. It’s less expensive, with no U-City buildings to tear down. City Hall could grace this smaller square, while laughing, frolicking children gladly spill into Balfour Park from the library built beside it.
A lovely tree-lined neighborhood is its backdrop on Main Avenue, so nearby families could safely walk or bike to the library. This looks like the Valley, comfortable and unpretentious, no leases as suggested at University City, just pure land for sale.
University City could privately site retail stores without ensnaring the public coffers. Instead, this offer was “dead on arrival.” Why?
People can only spend so much money. An average Valley family of four makes under $40,000 and needs more from their city than a new image. Building a City Hall and library is a big enough step without redeveloping U-City on our tax dollar.
There’s no shortage of retail stores. The Valley Mall has never been fully occupied. It could be a bowling alley weekdays as most people shop on weekends. Regionally, I-90 is our big business corridor. Cabela’s, opening in Post Falls, will divert shoppers from the Valley, as well as Coeur d’Alene and Spokane. The Valley isn’t hankering for our own River Park Square. A city center may be marvelous but it isn’t being built for us.
It’s time for backroom negotiations to stop and all the cards to be put on the table. How can this be an authentic public process if we are not provided all the choices?
The Pring property is a better fit. It deserves serious consideration and a public hearing. The city will likely make a decision without our approval if it can swing the cost of building on its current budget.
Letters, e-mails, phone calls to our council members is in order, since it typically takes a public hue and cry before we can get their attention. The process needs our approval, not consultants.
It’s time to throw out the magic beans, snap our fingers to break their hypnotic gaze and bring our City Council back to reality. A city center already exists within the people in the heartbeat of every neighborhood. We are Spokane Valley.