City forms team to help developer

Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession on Monday announced the formation of a City Hall team to guide creation of a large housing and commercial development on the North Bank of the Spokane River.

The team will be responsible for helping developer Marshall Chesrown obtain approval to build the first phase of the Kendall Yards project west of the Monroe Street Bridge.

Chesrown recently said that he has sufficient investor interest to build the first phase of the project over the next 18 months. Currently, the city is reviewing an update of an environmental impact statement for the project.

Residential portions of the project are eligible for 10-year property tax exemptions, and the entire development may be in line for special city-sponsored financing for streets, sidewalks and other public structures.

When fully developed, Kendall Yards is expected to include 2,600 residential units and 1 million square feet of retail and office space.

“Kendall Yards exemplifies my economic growth vision for Spokane in that it creates opportunity for investment and subsequent increased revenues within our city borders, and it also preserves and even improves a former non-productive and contaminated property,” Hession said in a news release Monday. “Here is an excellent example of a multiuse development where people will live, work and play in the heart of Spokane.”

The team will be headed by John Pilcher, the city’s economic development director. Other members will be Tom Arnold, engineering director; Leroy Eadie, planning department; Cody George, economic development adviser; Mike Piccolo, assistant city attorney; Gavin Cooley, chief financial officer; Dave Steele, public works department; and James Richman, assistant city attorney.