Developer seeks zone change

A proposal to build a 10-story retail, office and parking tower west of the Spokane County Courthouse is scheduled for a public hearing on a zone change next Thursday at 9 a.m.

Spokane Hearing Examiner Greg Smith will take testimony on the proposal by West Central Development LLC to increase the allowable building height from 35 feet to 150 feet at the tower location just west of the county courthouse.

The hearing will be held in Council Chambers at Spokane City Hall.

The tower would require a zone change from an OR-35 zone, which means office-retail use with a 35-foot height limit to OR-150.

Luann Padgham, the agent for the development, recently told Spokane County Commissioners that residents of the area have wanted a small grocery and day care center as part of the tower.

She operates the development company with her husband, Dr. Marcus DeWood. Padgham said that if the zone change is not approved, the development probably would be scaled back to the 35-foot height.

The proposed L-shaped building would be in the block bounded by Broadway and Mallon avenues and Adams and Cedar streets. A historic apartment building at Broadway and Adams would not be affected.

One issue is the potential loss of views from the west of the historic county courthouse building.