Landmarks for sale

In the controversy over the final disposition of the former YMCA building overlooking Spokane Falls, our local officials are debating whether the site should be converted to undeveloped space, if the existing low-rise structure can be creatively renovated and put to productive use, or if the present building should be replaced by high-rise, luxury condominiums.

If our elected leaders choose the third option, let us hope they sell only to a developer of national prominence and reputation. We need a builder with proven experience, impeccable taste and, above all, with tax-generating acumen, perhaps the same person who built the 50-story hotel tower that now graces the floor of the Grand Canyon, who cleverly constructed the domed atrium proudly perched atop Old Faithful, and who bridged Niagara Falls with condominium apartments similar to those envisioned here.

Only such a grandiose project could justify walling off our city’s landmark scenic downtown waterfalls, with their Native American and pioneer history, welcoming parkland near existing shops and restaurants, and relaxing riverside strolls for local families and visiting tourists. But perhaps our leaders consider these trivial benefits outweighed by the compelling need to provide exclusive and prestigious condominiums for a deserving elite.

Bill Tracy

Spokane