Council Delays Decision On Teen Center Businessman Given 60 More Days To Modify West Central Proposal

(From For the Record, Wednesday, May 10, 1995): Bob Lipe wants to build a teen center at 2108 W. Boone. The address was wrong in a story in Tuesday’s newspaper.

A Spokane businessman plans to refine his dream of a teen center in the West Central neighborhood before going any further with his proposal.

“I’ll do what I have to do to accomplish what needs to be done,” said Bob Lipe, just after the City Council had voted 7-0 Monday to delay its decision on the proposed center.

Lipe recently asked the council to overturn a city official’s decision denying a special permit for Teen Town at 2101 W. Boone.

The council held a hearing on the issue last week, planning to vote on the matter Monday. Instead, the council decided to give Lipe 60 days to modify his proposal.

In March, City Hearing Examiner Greg Smith denied Lipe’s request for a permit, saying the center “could inadvertently become a nightmare for neighboring residents.”

Building the center was a lifelong dream of Lipe and his wife, advertising executive Donna Lipe, who died last year of cancer. Lipe plans to use $50,000 of his wife’s insurance money to build Teen Town.

Lipe said he has received nearly 25 calls from people offering to help with the proposal.

Also Monday, the council moved a step closer to condemning strips of 17 pieces of property along Indiana Avenue for widening the street between Standard and Columbus.

The council voted unanimously to go ahead with condemnation proceedings, which give the city the right to take landowners to court if a settlement can’t be reached.

Several neighbors have fought the project, saying it would increase traffic problems. Others say they aren’t being offered fair value for their property.

Dennis Berringer, the city’s real estate director, said moving forward with condemnation doesn’t mean the city will break off talks with owners.

“It’s just in the event we can’t reach agreement,” Berringer said.