Round Of Meetings Cover River Park Square Plan

Spokane residents get a chance this week to voice their feelings about an $80 million proposal to redevelop River Park Square and close off Post Street between Main and Spokane Falls Boulevard - the Bloomsday finish line.

Four public meetings with city leaders and the developers will be held downtown and at various community centers.

Proponents say the project is necessary to preserve a vibrant downtown. Plans call for building a new home for Nordstrom where River Park Square stands and erecting a glass-enclosed pedestrian mall across Post Street. The project assumes that the city will replace the Post Street bridge with a new span at Lincoln Street.

Opponents say the development is a poor use of taxpayer money. Nearly $28 million in federal grants and loans would be used in the project.

The first meeting is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook. Others are: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, East Central Community Center, 500 S. Stone; 2 p.m. Thursday, downtown public library, 906 W. Main; 7:30 p.m. Friday, West Central Community Center, 1603 N. Belt.

In other events this week:

Today

Pacific Northwest Software Quality Conference opens in Bellevue, Wash. Call 503-223-8633.

Tuesday

A live, interactive videoconference with reengineering author James Champy will be held at Cavanaugh’s River Inn at 9:30 a.m. Cost: $50. Call 353-5777.

The first of eight management and leadership training sessions begins at 6 p.m. at the Credit Bureau Services, 521 W. Maxwell, continuing through June 15. Call 324-1285.

Colville Chamber of Commerce hosts a breakfast meeting at 7 a.m. at Cookie’s Cafe, featuring Gloria Cooper of Mount Carmel Hospital, recently ranked as one of the nation’s top 10 rural hospitals.

John Gordon of Smart Decisions Inc. in Issaquah speaks to the Inland Northwest Treasury Management Association at noon at the Shilo Inn. Cost: $13. Call Ken Hill at 353-4109.

ISO 9000 seminar on internal auditing at the Training and Education Coordinating Center, 3939 N. Freya. Runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $50. Call 533-4705 or 533-4725.

Wednesday

Spokane Area Economic Development Council board meets at 7:30 a.m. at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce building.

U.S. Department of Commerce reports durable goods orders for April.

Thursday

The Microsoft/Seafirst Small Business Expo opens at the Spokane Convention Center. Call 800-550-4300.

Jennifer Leake of Profiles/Leake and Associates speaks to the Spokane Restaurant & Hospitality Association at 7:30 a.m. at the Shilo Inn. Cost: $10. Call 467-7744.

Idaho Wheat Commission meets in Boise for twoday strategic planning session.

National Association of Realtors reports existing home sales for April.

President Clinton addresses The White House Conference for Trade and Investment in Ireland.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ON THE SHELF Business Week, May 22: Having taken over the top spot in the home PC market, Packard Bell Electronics Inc. is getting ready to break into the office market.

Long-haul champs Some of the well-known stocks that performed the best from 1974 to 1994, as reported by Mutual Fund News Service. Figures show the Dec. 31, 1994. value of a $10,000 investment made in Dec. 31, 1974.

Boeing Co.: $868,586 Coca-Cola Co.: $487,340 Disney Co.: $450,063 Philip Morris Companies Inc.: $400,173 Exxon Corp.: $264,548 General Electric Co.: $256,443. McDonalds Corp.: $247,668 Chevron Corp.: $242,606