Kendall Yards could bring many West Central improvements

Decorative sidewalks, period light standards, concrete brickwork, new street trees, crosswalks and other pedestrian amenities could be installed across a wide section of West Central Spokane under a community revitalization proposal linked to construction of Kendall Yards on the north bank.

Spokane city officials last week released a preliminary list of public projects that could be financed through a tax-increment financing district being formed to assist in the Kendall Yards mixed-use project.

Areas that could benefit include the West Broadway neighborhood center, the Maxwell and Elm employment center, a proposed view corridor along Jefferson Street, the commercial strip along North Monroe Street and the attractions along Spokane Falls.

Kendall Yards is proposed as a $1 billion project that would bring a mix of businesses, offices and residences to a 78-acre tract of former rail yard north of the river and west of Monroe.

State law allows cities and counties to establish districts for community revitalization and to use a portion of the increase in property tax collections to pay for improvements. Up to 75 percent of the increased taxes can be used for publicly owned work.

Taxes on the underlying value plus 25 percent of the increased taxes would still go to city and county governments for services such as police and fire protection.

The developer of Kendall Yards wants to use tax-increment financing to pay for public improvements needed for the development.

However, city officials also want to use the financing to upgrade the surrounding neighborhood commercial areas.

“Right now, we are trying to come up with a broader list of what could be possible,” said Cody George, the city’s economic development adviser.

He said city officials will be holding a public meeting in coming weeks to gauge neighborhood support for different projects and for the tax-increment financing district. No date has been set for the meeting.

Property owners and residents at the West Broadway neighborhood center have been talking about upgrades for years, but until now there hasn’t been money available.

On the South Side, the Perry Street business area was upgraded with federal transportation funding that went to increase safety for schoolchildren crossing the busy street there. A second phase of the Perry Street project is being funded this year.

The West Broadway area could see $300,000 of improvements under a preliminary proposal from city planning staff.

Another $150,000 could be spent near the Maxwell and Elm employment center.

Also on the list is a proposal for improving the look of the Maple-Ash corridor and a series of improvements along Monroe Street to the base of the North Hill.

A potential public market on a converted Post Street pedestrian bridge is also identified as a possible project. Trail enhancements are also being recommended.