Downtown Listed As Endangered

Thu., June 11, 1998

From Staff

Downtown Spokane made a list of 10 Washington state areas described this week by an environmental group as “most endangered” by urban growth and development.

“Because of the sprawl outside of town, downtown is dying,” said Tracy Burrows of the Seattle-based group 1,000 Friends of Washington.

“You can’t have a vital city unless you control sprawl.”

Spokane City Councilwoman Roberta Greene said Wednesday she doubted the report’s findings, saying she has faith in downtown revitalization efforts.

“You can make statistics say anything and draw invalid conclusions,” she said, adding she’d like to see the report before drawing too many conclusions.

The group compiled the list after interviews with local elected officials, planners, activists and developers.

Areas were evaluated on the basis of development sprawl, population growth, long-term impacts, scenic quality and opportunity for change.

Most of the areas making the list are scenic or natural resources, Burrows said. “In Spokane, it’s an economic resource threatened by sprawl.”

While the $110 million River Park Square redevelopment project will help revitalize downtown, it’s not the total solution, Burrows said. As long as sprawl is allowed to continue, downtown will have trouble staying alive, she said.

Part of the solution involves bringing more housing to the city’s core, she said. ENDANGERED LIST Here is the group’s list of Washington’s 10 most endangered places and the counties in which they are located: Hood Canal; Mason, Jefferson and Kitsap counties. Methow Valley; Okanogan County. San Juan Islands; San Juan County. Lake Whatcom; Whatcom County. Snoqualmie Valley; King County. Stillaguamish Valley; Snohomish County. Columbia Gorge; Skamania and Clark counties. Downtown Spokane; Spokane County. Interstate 90 corridor; Kittitas and King counties. Mount Rainier; Pierce County.

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