Urban village proposed for 57th, Old Palouse site

It takes a village to create a village, developer Allen Williamson believes.

In a NIMBY (not in my back yard) environment where many communities don’t want any change — period — Williamson invites a dialogue with his neighbors. He wants to share his vision of an urban village on the property he co-owns with Don Jacobson just southeast of 57th Avenue and Old Palouse Highway.

Williamson is so interested in having the conversation that he put his phone number and e-mail on a sign on the property.

“I’ve gotten real positive responses. People seem ready for something like this. It just makes sense,” said Williamson.

Williamson is envisioning a good mix of small retail shops, office space and a residential complex, perhaps a farmer’s market, green spaces, art galleries, cafes and a plaza for public gatherings and entertainment.

Jacobson Greenhouses, situated on 12 acres, opened in 1917 and sold a variety of crops. In 1964 the Jacobson family began selling wholesale roses.

That business closed in 1998 because of high production costs and low rose prices.

Williamson isn’t interested in neon, franchise businesses or mass markets but rather small, locally owned businesses. He said he wants to establish a place where new companies can incubate and get their feet wet without risk of going under their first few years.

Yokes has expressed an interest in the corner property and is open to the village concept, where a theme is carried out throughout the property. It wants to be more than just the regular grocery store along the road, said Williamson.

Williamson will display the three concept models developed by Washington State University Spokane landscape architecture students at the Jacobson Greenhouse so that neighbors can come in and look at them. Visitors can even purchase some bedding plants or a hanging flower basket while they visit.

He wants to know what the neighbors like and dislike about potential ideas.

While the location of the land appears to be a prime commercial site, Spokane County has placed the property just outside the urban boundary in a proposed growth-management land-use plan.

Williamson’s hope is that once the community knows what he wants to do with the land, people will sign a petition to help obtain county approval. Last November he filed for an amendment to the Growth Management Act.

Williamson said it’s his hope that his two sons will be the fourth generation on this property.

“I want to do this the smart way, with less conflict. I want to create something I can be proud of,” Williamson said.

“I really don’t want to sell off and leave. I plan to live here. I’m part of this community and part of this land,” he said.