Building can’t be replaced

Albert Held was a young architect who came to help rebuild Spokane after the fire of 1889. He brought innovative and modern architectural design; his buildings include the original North Central High School and the Holly Mason (the first fireproof building built here). His designs were outnumbered only by those of Kirtland Cutter and Karl Malmgren, so a significant amount of what we see in our city is from the mind of Held.

Sadly, the Held-designed Jensen-Byrd Building is on track to be demolished due to its recent sale by Washington State University to a Texas company with no financial or other ties to our city and history.

Rather than repurpose the building for shops, restaurants and student housing, the plan is to tear the building down for newly constructed student housing, losing what could be an economic and architectural anchor for the east side of downtown and the growing University District.

City leaders, we have an opportunity to react to difficult times with vision, as in our early days; maintaining the historical and architectural significance of Spokane is an example of vision that will have long-term benefits. Let’s not lose something that can never be replaced!

Rick and Julie Biggerstaff

Spokane