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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Joanne Moyer: Spokane buildings by famous architects who are no longer with us are irreplaceable

By Joanne Moyer Spokane Preservation Advocates

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Prior to 1997, after you had served on the Museum of Arts and Culture’s Committee for six years, there was nowhere to volunteer if you wanted to work on preservation issues.

I was lucky, as I was appointed to the Spokane City-County Landmarks Board and served for nine years, the last three as the chairperson. Then I was appointed to the State Advisory Board for Archaeology and Historic Preservation, where I served for two three-year terms before being appointed to the Board of Advisors for the National Trust for Preservation, where I served nine years.

In 1997, a group of concerned preservationists held three open forums at the Fox Theater to discuss what it wanted to do. It was decided we would form a new group and call it Spokane Preservation Advocates. Our mission would be to educate, preserve and enhance the character of Spokane through advocacy. Today, the organization retains the vibrancy of collective thought and ideas.

From its beginning, Spokane Preservation Advocates has been an inclusive organization. We now boast some 600 members.

We also had developers who believed in historic preservation. In 1997, Ron and Julie Wells were already renovating old apartment buildings; beginning with Carpenters Hall in Browne’s Addition and historic apartment buildings all over the City. Conover Bond was also engaged in restorations.

Wendell Reugh was opposed to preserving old buildings from the beginning. In 1991, I lunched with Mr. Reugh and he was honest in saying, “Mrs. Moyer, I do not like old buildings.” The Merton Building, built in 1890, was the oldest intact structure downtown and the first that Reugh was to demolish. It was a fine example of the Romanesque Revival style. The Rookery Building, an excellent example of Art Deco, and the Mohawk Building, a prime example of the Chicago style of architecture, were razed by the wrecking ball. We did a protest march, to no avail.

One good thing that came from this was a new Preservation Ordinance that no longer allowed anyone to raze a historic building without replacing it with one of the same footprint on the site. Sadly, concerning the corner of Howard Street and Riverside Avenue, a parking lot now sits there.

Spokane Preservation Advocates has had some excellent, significant saves which have contributed to preserving the character of early Spokane, including the Fox Theater, the Bishop White Seminary, the Steam Plant, the Jensen-Byrd Building and a number of historic schools, most notably Lewis and Clark High School. We truly believe these buildings by famous architects, no longer with us, are irreplaceable.

The Jensen-Byrd building does present some challenges for the community. State Sens. Lisa Brown and Chris Marr both assured us it would not be razed during their time in public office. The University District is an ideal location for rehab of this building into offices and mixed-use shops, coffee shops and restaurants. There are many incentives for achieving preservation of this building.

We have challenges ahead. The Historic Chancery Building has escaped destruction and is for sale. We hope a strong, wise, civic-minded buyer will come forward, guaranteeing the preservation of that historic and beautiful building.