Panel Oks Money For S. Perry Work

The improving condition of the South Perry business district got another shot in the arm last week.

The East Central Neighborhood steering committee agreed to a $40,000 allocation for South Perry improvements from its federal community development funds for 2001. That comes after a similar allocation was approved by the neighborhood steering committee last year.

Community development money has been used for seed money for an even larger regional transportation grant.

To date, nearly $350,000 has been lined up for street improvements on South Perry.

“Let the building begin,” said Mel Silva, a business owner and leader in the South Perry Business Association.

New sidewalks, irrigated street trees, safer crosswalks and new street lighting are planned under the project, which was designed by the city’s urban planning office.

Construction could start next year, Silva said.

The idea is to improve the aesthetics of the business area between Ninth and 11th avenues to attract more people and to slow down motorists passing through the area.

Curbs at the intersections will be extended into the pavement to shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians. That is expected to make it safer and easier to walk through the area.

About 200 children at nearby Grant Elementary School cross Perry each weekday at Ninth Avenue, which gives the safety aspect of the project greater significance.

The genesis of the idea dates back more than a year, when merchants formed the South Perry Business Association and won support of the neighborhood steering committee.

The East Central Neighborhood includes the South Perry business district and is considered a low-income area under federal guidelines. As such, it is eligible for federal community development funds annually.

Spokane allows each of its community development neighborhoods, including East Central, to allocate money to discretionary projects as long as the projects comply with federal rules.

The community development steering committee in the East Central Neighborhood allocated $45,000 a year ago to the improvements.

That money, in turn, was used for the local match in applying for a larger transportation enhancement grant of $250,000 through the Spokane Regional Transportation Council.

The East Central community development allocation for 2001 will add another $40,000 to the improvements. That allocation must still be approved by the city Community Development Board and the City Council.

“We’ll probably use that for seed money for another grant,” Silva said of next year’s community development allocation.