Hagadone back at center stage

For months now, Coeur d’Alene has been abuzz over plans proposed by visionary developers.

Marshall Chesrown ignited the excitement earlier this year by proposing to build and swap a state-of-the-art sawmill at Hauser to Stimson Lumber Co. for two Spokane River mills. The trade would enable North Idaho College to expand into the current DeArmond mill and launch a waterfront education corridor.

Meanwhile, Spokane developer John Stone’s Riverstone project on another former mill site, a short distance from the DeArmond property, continues to expand, and the Mill River subdivision farther upstream at the old Crown Pacific site is preparing to market its second phase of $1 million homes. With all the construction activity occurring on the river, and three high-rise projects planned for downtown Coeur d’Alene, it shouldn’t go unnoticed that the man responsible for transforming Coeur d’Alene into a tourism destination is about to step onto center stage again with ambitious projects of his own.

After a hiatus when he semi-retired to sail around the world in his former megayacht, the Lady Lola, Duane Hagadone should add much to the Coeur d’Alene skyline with his plans to convert Blackwell Island into a top-notch marina, begin construction on condominiums on the eastern edge of town, and possibly revisit plans for a memorial garden downtown. Hagadone appears to be approaching these projects with the energy he had in the 1980s when he rebuilt the old North Shore Hotel into the world-class Coeur d’Alene Resort and transfigured an old Potlatch mill into the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course.

Unquestionably, he and his organization will do a classy job with each of these projects.

The various regulatory agencies, however, should be careful to protect the public’s interests in examining the complicated aspects of Hagadone’s various proposals. In the Blackwell Island project, for example, he plans to dredge an adjoining canal 50 percent wider and 8 feet deep to handle large boats. Not only could the dredging threaten river water quality, but it also poses a threat to the aquifer below. Toxic material buried in an old landfill on the island also presents a hazard. But none of the environmental concerns needs to stop a multifaceted project that will greatly improve another entrance to Coeur d’Alene.

In annexation dealings with Hagadone, the city of Coeur d’Alene should insist that he provide access for canoers and kayakers and that he’ll mitigate problems his development will cause for the manmade island’s abundant wildlife.

Coeur d’Alene residents must wait to see how Hagadone responds to a request this week from the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce to resubmit plans for a downtown garden to memorialize his parents. Earlier this year, he pulled those plans after a City Council hearing, explaining that he feared they would interfere with the city’s attempt to pass bond elections for a new library and public safety needs. The council had planned to stage an advisory vote on the garden idea.

With Hagadone’s push to expand his north shore empire, the waterfront activity this summer will be hotter than a sunbather on City Beach.