Spokane primed for more growth

What a difference a decade and $3.6 billion makes. Community, business and civic leaders have pulled together to make astonishing investments that have had a profound economic impact in downtown Spokane.

Yet more can be done. Much more. Now is the time to build on the successes of the past decade to keep the momentum and the positive impacts going.

Spokane’s thriving arts, cultural, retail, hospitality, commercial, residential and park spaces now make the city’s core a more well-rounded destination than ever before. The city is alive with activity and, once again, livable. People do venture downtown to shop at River Park Square and the many neighboring retail shops – and many linger for dinner at the Steam Plant Grill, a show at the Knitting Factory, a performance at the Met or a symphony concert at the Fox theater. Some even grab a room at the Davenport, Doubletree or Lusso and make a night of it.

However, much more opportunity remains on the horizon. Individually, the arts and entertainment district, retail core, University District, Convention Center and Riverfront Park have proved successful. But the real power of each will be found when they are connected: Convention Center visitors to retail offerings and the University District traffic to theaters and museums. Connecting the handful of established “cornerstones” of activity is the next critical step.

Retail. While many downtowns surrendered the classic retail function when shoppers shifted to suburban malls, sound advanced planning and concerted public and private investment and collaboration helped Spokane avoid this trend. Other cities then tried to reinvent their downtowns as narrowly focused centers of culture, government, offices and maybe a little housing. But Spokane’s classic retail cluster of anchor department stores, major chains and locally owned boutiques already bucks the national trend and can be further bolstered by connections that draw people – and more stores – to the downtown.

Convention Center. When maximized, the expanded Convention Center space will further feed downtown retail and hospitality. The areas between the Convention Center and the heart of the city’s retail area offer even more untapped potential.

University District. A rapidly evolving University District attracts students who add tremendous vitality and energy. Washington State University’s applied science lab is a terrific example of advancing industry research and better positioning the region for global competitiveness. First-year students are completing the initial semester in the new medical school program and a second-year offering will be added next year, another major downtown driver.

Arts and entertainment. This area, known as the Davenport District, has seen the most dramatic revitalization in the city, with the Davenport Hotel, Fox theater and countless clubs, restaurants and galleries, that attract both the millennial demographic of “20-somethings and early 30-somethings” and the older, more established crowd. Enhancing the transportation system would make the area even more of a destination spot.

The north bank. The city owns a large portion of the north bank, which is primed for mixed uses, including commercial and entertainment retail close to the Arena and Riverfront Park, and medium- and high-density residential developments around Washington Street, with neighborhood-serving retail. New picnic areas, outdoor rides, ice rink and winter garden atrium can also draw people through Riverfront Park to the area.

Housing. Downtown housing proposals – such as the recently re-energized Kendall Yards project – represent unrealized potential and need to be encouraged. Sustained surges in downtown redevelopment are producing results in cities elsewhere. Denver has benefited greatly from downtown mixed-use development that includes upward of 15,000 units. And Portland’s Pearl District is a good example of how older parts of the city like Kendall Yards can be re-imagined.

It’s about attracting that all-important millennial demographic, who require an urban experience with access to the outdoors, which Spokane can provide through Riverfront Park, the Spokane gorge and its extensive regional trail system. Renovated Lewis and Clark High School is another positive factor for families.

Spokane’s renaissance has the entire region well-positioned coming out of the current economic downturn. Momentum that makes downtown Spokane the envy of cities across the country has been built over a decade of hard work and heavy lifting. Developing synergies among the “cornerstones” will secure Spokane’s place as one of the great rebirths of a great American city.