Garland District seeking design improvements

Leaders in the Garland Business District envision a renovated street with new pedestrian amenities, wider sidewalks and more public gathering spaces to enhance what already is a popular destination on the North Side.

They have organized a fundraiser on Friday evening through the Friends of the Garland District, with proceeds going to an ongoing planning effort for upgrades.

The event runs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Gathering House, 733 W. Garland. Tickets are $25.

Members of the public are invited to join the fun, said Julie Shepard-Hall, one of the district leaders.

“Garland has been a great place for a long time,” Shepard-Hall said.

The friends organization is going to unveil some preliminary plans for remaking the Garland Business District. The idea is to bring new vitality to the popular neighborhood business area that is dotted with landmarks such as Mary Lou’s Milk Bottle, the Garland Theater and Ferguson’s Cafe.

One idea is to create a mini-park or parklet in the district. You Express Studio in Spokane has donated about $10,000 in initial planning work for the Garland area, Shepard-Hall said.

The Rev. Rob Bryceson moved his First Covenant Church to the Gathering House, a 1940s building that previously operated as a neighborhood grocery. The Gathering House doubles as a coffee shop. The space is roomy enough for church services that draw about 120 people every Sunday, Bryceson said. The facility opened last spring.

He operates a job training program inside the coffee house.

Bryceson said he wants to join the movement to make Garland a people-friendly district. His property at the rear of his church and shop could be redeveloped with a farmers market and plaza.

He has been restoring original finishes and period lighting inside the Gathering House. “Everybody likes the old art deco theme,” he said.

Bryceson said he wants to mesh with the wider Garland District. “We want to be a community hub location,” he said.

A recently completed North Hill Neighborhood Plan outlines the intentions of the district to get an upgrade. But the ideas need more work.

Shepard-Hall said that a recent federal urban development grant is making $15,000 available to work on planning a district that the wider community wants to see. The work is being done through the international Stantec design firm, which has an office in Spokane.

One idea being discussed is redesigning Garland so that it has a center median for trees. That would open up the sidewalks and make it easier to see the historic signage and lighting that makes the Garland District unique, leaders said. It would also slow down through traffic, which has grown over the years.

As part of Friday’s fundraiser, Shepard-Hall said she has been getting different artists to paint old satellite dishes. Those dishes are up for sale with part of the proceeds going to the artists and the other part going to the planning work.

“We want to be an artsy neighborhood,” Shepard-Hall said.