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Landmarks Commission recommends the infamous Sonora Dodd House be added to the Spokane Register Yesterday,
January 16, 2008 Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission recommended
Sonora Dodd played an important role in the first half of the 20th Century both in Spokane, the Nation, and Internationally as the founder of Fathers Day. The 100 year anniversary of Fathers Day is June 19, 2010. A celebration is in the process of being planned.
(archived 12/28/07) Created with the passage of
SHB 2115
in May of 2007, the Washington Heritage Barn Register will commemorate
barns as historically significant resources representing the agricultural,
economic and cultural development of the State of W To be eligible for listing in the Heritage Barn Register, barns must be over 50 years old and retain a significant degree of historic integrity. Owners interested in seeking designation for their historic barns are asked to complete a nomination form and provide basic information about the property. The first round of Heritage Barn nominations are due December 21, 2007. Those barns will be considered for designation at the January 25, 2008 meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council meeting to be held in Ellensburg. Listing on the Heritage Barn Register is strictly honorary in nature and offers no protection from demolition, nor requires review of alterations and/or changes in use. Only barns listed on the new Heritage Barn Register, or barns that have been previously listed on the State or National Register will be eligible for grant funding under SHB 2115, the Heritage Barn Preservation Bill. To find out if your barn may qualify for historical designation, click here. Washington Heritage Barn Documents:
For information about the Heritage Barn Register program, contact: Michael Houser, State Architectural Historian at (360) 586-3076 or Michael.Houser@dahp.wa.gov or visit http://www.dahp.wa.gov/pages/HistoricSites/HeritageBarnRegister.htm. To view a list of Heritage Barns listed in round one, click here. To see photos and a presentation of round one barns, click here.
(12/17/07)
All workshops will run from 7:00 – 8:30 PM. In addition to workshops, a need has developed to find qualified individuals and preservation professionals who can assess the rehab needs of barns as well as do the actual construction work. To this end, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is in the process of developing a roster of contractors, engineers, craftsmen, etc., with experience in historic barn rehabilitation and restoration. To be added to the developing roster, please fill out the Heritage Barn Contractor and Supplier List Application Form. The application form can also be downloaded from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation website at www.wa-trust.org. The form can be returned to via email to Chris Moore at cmoore@wa-trust.org or fax at (206) 624-2410 with any accompanying materials you would like to include. You can also send in the form via US Mail to: Chris Moore Washington Trust for Historic Preservation 1204 Minor Avenue Seattle, WA 98101
(archived 11/9/07) In December 2005, Spokane applied for a $20,000 Preserve America Grant from the National Park Service. The grant was awarded in March 2006 for a new marketing campaign, a focused heritage tourism program to promote Spokane's downtown historic resources and historic districts. The objective was to provide recognizable and consistent materials (in the form of guidebooks, walking tour brochures, and signage) and online resources designed for Spokane's increasing number of visitors and local residents.
To download the brochure, click here. To acquire a physical copy of the brochure, visit the Third Floor of City Hall. REVISITING WASHINGTON: A GUIDE TO THE EVERGREEN STATE (archived 11/6/07) Revisiting Washington: A Guide to the Evergreen State is a revisitation of the original Washington guidebook, Washington, A Guide to the Evergreen State, first published in 1941as our state’s contribution to the massive American Guide Series. Check out Revisting Washington, created by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, complete with the historic content, but updated with current field notations and digital navigational tools. More..
(archived 10/3/07) Created with the passage of
SHB 2115
in May of 2007, the Washington Heritage Barn Register will commemorate
barns as historically significant resources representing the agricultural,
economic and cultural development of the State of W To be eligible for listing in the Heritage Barn Register, barns must be over 50 years old and retain a significant degree of historic integrity. Owners interested in seeking designation for their historic barns are asked to complete a nomination form and provide basic information about the property. The first round of Heritage Barn nominations are due October 1, 2007. Those barns will be considered for designation at the November 2, 2007 meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council meeting to be held in Ellensburg. Listing on the Heritage Barn Register is strictly honorary in nature and offers no protection from demolition, nor requires review of alterations and/or changes in use. Only barns listed on the new Heritage Barn Register, or barns that have been previously listed on the State or National Register will be eligible for grant funding under SHB 2115, the Heritage Barn Preservation Bill.
For information about the Heritage Barn Register program, contact: Michael Houser, State Architectural Historian at (360) 586-3076 or Michael.Houser@dahp.wa.gov or visit http://www.dahp.wa.gov/pages/HistoricSites/HeritageBarnRegister.htm.
THE HISTORIC MERRILL-EDMUNDS HOUSE IS LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME (archived 9/4/07) Listed on the Spokane Register of Historic Places in 2002, the Merrill-Edmunds House is looking for a new home. Located on N. Evergreen Street in the West Central neighborhood, the home is threatened with demolition and has been offered by the current property owners to anyone willing to move it to a new location. The Merrill-Edmunds House was constructed in 1904 for
Fred and Annie Merrill, owners and proprietors of the Merrill Typewriter
Supply and Repair Company located d The Hyslop-designed home features one of the architect’s signature architectural elements- a porch bracket design only seen on residential properties designed by Hyslop. According to the Spokane Register nomination in 2002, “instead of using the short, upturned tails on porch bracket ends, Hyslop designed a porch bracket with the opposite pattern- a bracket pattern with flattened tails that extend the horizontality of the porch at the juncture between the column and the porch roof. Hyslop’s son, Robert Hyslop, explains that the bracket design was only used by his father and was not copied.” The one-and-one-half story Merrill-Edmunds House features four bedrooms and two baths- two bedrooms on the upper floor with a separate bathroom, and two on the main floor. The home also boasts a living room with an incredible one-of-a-kind fieldstone fireplace, boxed beam ceilings, and ebony-finished vertical-grain red fir woodwork. Another focal point of the living room is the diamond-paned leaded glass windows. The two main floor bedrooms are located in the northwest and southwest corners of the house, off the living room. The southwest corner bedroom features hardwood oak floors and a full bathroom en suite. Stairs from the dining room lead up to the upper floor where two large bedrooms are situated, one over the front porch and another on the west end of the house with a second bathroom. The house underwent a partial rehabilitation in
2002-2003 which included: replacing the entire roof down
Moving costs associated with removing the house to a new location are likely to exceed $70,000 ($70,000 is the proposed cost of moving the home up the hill, approx. 0.2 miles, to the intersection of W. Boone and N. Summit Boulevard.) Additional costs would include the removal of power and telephone lines. Possible incentives for home relocation include incorporating moving expenses to take advantage of the Special Valuation property tax incentive. For more information on Special Valuation or the Spokane Register of Historic Places, click here or call the Historic Preservation Office at (509) 625-6985. To learn more about the history of the Merrill-Edmunds House, click here. To see more photographs, click here.
DEMOLITION OF BARBER SHOP REVEALS HISTORIC MURAL ON SPOKANE REGISTER PROPERTY (archived 8/23/07)
The recent demolition of a barber shop on N. Crestline Street has revealed
an historic mural on the north elevatio To learn more about the Wallace-Lyberger Building/Bridgeport Grocery, click here.
HERE A BARN...THERE A BARN, GOV. SIGNS HERITAGE BARN PRESERVATION BILL (archived 8/13/07)
On Friday May 4, 2007, Governor Gregoire
signed
SHB 2115, a bill which created the Washington State Heritage Barn
Register and establishing a grant progra The Heritage Barn Preservation Bill (SHB 2115) will specifically:
To find out more about how your barn could qualify, visit the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation's website, or click here. Do you have a heritage barn?
MAY IS NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION MONTH! (archived 6/25/07)
To see the list of winners, click here. To celebrate historic preservation month, the City-County of Spokane Historic Preservation Office has put together a slideshow showcasing preservation and rehabilitation projects around the city and county. The slideshow is available for viewing on the Third Floor of City Hall, or click here.
SAVE THE DATE! THE CITY OF SPOKANE PRESENTS DEVELOPING SPOKANE: TOOLS FOR NEW MARKETS (archived 6/25/07) Friday, June 15, 2007. Tips for downtown living, small business, going "green" and More... LIVE IT UP! DOWNTOWN SPOKANE LIFESTYLE TOUR IS BACK! (archived 6/25/07)
The 2nd annual Live For more information, or to get involved by volunteering yourself or your condo for the tour, please contact Jami Cary at (509) 456-0580 x102, JCary@Downtown.Spokane.net or Karen Marshall at (509) 625-6983, kmarshall@spokanecity.org. Make Dad feel special on Father's Day Weekend -- take the whole family out and Live It Up! To learn more, visit the Downtown Spokane Partnership or visit the Live It Up! webpage. HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE REAL WORLD: DOING RIGHT BY YOUR HISTORIC PROPERTY (archived 6/4/07) Click here to download presentations from the workshop. Presented by the Cheney Historic Preservation Commission
HPO NOMINATES FOUR FOR DAHP AWARDS (archived 5/15/07) The City-County of Spokane Historic Preservation Office is pleased to announce the following nominees for this year’s State Historic Preservation Officer’s 17th Annual Awards for Outstanding Achievements in Historic Preservation:
Award recipients will be recognized at a ceremony held during National Historic Preservation Month in May 2007. For more information on the SHPO Awards, please visit: http://www.dahp.wa.gov/pages/HistoricSites/HistoricPreservationWeek.htm.
(archived 4/6/07) A press conference will be held on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 to announce the results of a new statewide study on the Economic Impact of Historic Preservation. Copies of the study will be available for pick-up at the conference. Here’s a sneak preview of the study: Sampling of Spokane Statistics: Rehabilitation of historic buildings in Spokane County from 2000 to 2004 annually generated $34 million in sales of products and services, supported 400 jobs, and added $13.7 million in wages to the economy, according to a new report released by the state Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation. Date: Tuesday December 12, 1:00-1:30 Location: Steam Plant Grill, north lobby area Agenda: Brief remarks by the State Historic Preservation Officer; Director of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation; Ron Wells; and others. For more information, call (509) 625-6983. Reports:
Click here to read the Spokesman-Review story Preserving past boosts economy: Projects in Spokane create 400 jobs a year. To learn more, visit the DAHP website.
(archived 1/9/07)
THREE POSITIONS OPEN ON THE SPOKANE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION (archived 1/2/07)
These are 3 year terms and applications can be downloaded, or contact the Mayor’s Office at (509) 625-6250. To learn more about the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission, click here. NETTLETON'S ADDITION HISTORIC DISTRICT SIGN INSTALLED (archived 1/2/07) Steffan Wachholtz,
former UCLA Design Department Teaching Associate, recipient of the American
Society of Interior Design (ASID) Interior Product Des Wachholtz’ work, which often gives new life to reclaimed materials, reflects the story of Nettleton’s Addition, which began as a turn-of-the-19th-Century streetcar suburb and has recently gained notice as Washington State’s largest National Historic District. “I encourage redesign over simply recycling,” reads Wachholtz’ Design Statement. “In many instances, the energy required for recycling, coupled with the loss of energy and technology associated with the original object, results in a net loss in energy and resources. Yet, through artful rearrangement, modification and augmentation, we can keep the original object substantially in tact while still finding new life, beauty and vitality in its use.” Wachholtz is a Spokane native, graduating from West Valley High School before earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Fort Wright College and a Master of Fine Arts in Design from UCLA. After a successful twenty-year career owning a design/art fabrication business in Venice, CA, Wachholtz returned to Spokane in 2003 where he has “redesigned” a unique Nettleton’s Addition home where he continues his creative pursuits. His work can be seen at www.wachholtz.com. Nettleton’s Addition is named for William Nettleton, whose work in Spokane and the mid-west facilitated westward expansion by rail. Nettleton’s Addition was among Spokane’s earliest streetcar suburbs catering to the housing needs of the emerging turn-of-the-century middle-class. 70% of the current housing stock was built prior to 1910. Nettleton’s Addition was added to the Washington State Heritage Register in 2005 and the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.To learn more about Nettleton's Addition, check out the Nettleton's website.
CANNON HILL PARK SURVEY PROJECT (archived 12/12/06) The Historic Preservation Office was awarded a grant for a research project encompassing the platted addition of Cannon Hill Park, bounded by W. 16th & W. 25th Avenues, and Lincoln and Bernard Streets. The first step in the project is to photograph every home in the addition. On October 7th the Historic Preservation Office and Spokane Preservation Advocate's "Doing It" Committee will be working together to complete the photography for Cannon Hill. For more information, visit Spokane Preservation Advocate's website, click here, or email kmarshall@spokanecity.org. Doing It Project: Saturday, October 7th, Cannon Hill Park Neighborhood photo shoot, 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at 2021 South Stevens. NEW! For more information on the Cannon Hill Park Addition Project, click here.
JENSEN-BYRD BUILDING INCLUDED ON WASHINGTON TRUST MOST ENDANGERED LIST 2006 (archived 11/16/06) Since 1992, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has spotlighted Washington's Most Endangered Historic Properties with an annual list. The Jensen-Byrd Building on East Main was included on the list for 2006.
Located in East Downtown, the
Jenson-Byrd Building, constructed in 1909, is a six-story masonry structure
Jensen-Byrd, the last of the
early
Architect Albert Held designed
many of To learn more about the Jensen-Byrd Building and to view the entire 2006 Washington Trust Most Endangered Historic Properties List, click here. To view the press release, click here.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS – SUCCESSFUL CASE STUDIES FOR BUILDING IN THE CORE PRESENTATIONS & VIDEO (archived 11/16/06) The City held Open for Business on Friday, May 12th at City Hall, Lower Level, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. with sessions focusing on development issues, incentives and adaptive reuse in downtown Spokane. Topics included:
Developers, realtors, appraisers and others interested in urban development, were invited to attend. To view PDFs of all of the presentations, click on the desired session below.
To view a video recording of the workshops, click here (run time is approx. 3 hours). For a full agenda (PDF), click here. For more information, call Karen Marshall at (509) 625-6983.
NETTLETON'S ADDITION FEATURED IN THE WASHINGTON TRUST NEWS (archived 10/2/06)
Nettleton's Addition
Historic District is featured in a f To read the full article, click here. (This article, which first appeared in the Summer 2006 issue of the Trust News, is reprinted with permission of the publisher, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is a statewide, tax exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1976 to safeguard Washington's historic places through advocacy, education, collaboration and stewardship. For more information, visit www.wa-trust.org.) To learn more about Nettleton's Addition, check out the Nettleton's website. To learn more about the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, click here.
NETTLETON'S ADDITION HISTORIC DISTRICT IS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER (archived 7/5/06) The National Park Service has added Nettleton’s Addition, located in Spokane’s West Central neighborhood, to the National Register of Historic Places. With that designation, Nettleton’s Addition becomes Washington State’s largest National Historic District. Nettleton’s Addition is named for William Nettleton, whose work in Spokane and the mid-west facilitated westward expansion by rail. Nettleton’s Addition was among Spokane’s earliest streetcar suburbs catering to the housing needs of the emerging turn-of-the-century middle-class. 70% of the current housing stock was built prior to 1910. Nettleton’s Addition was added to the Washington State Heritage Register in June, 2005. To learn more about Nettleton's Addition, check out the Nettleton's website. EARLY KIRTLAND CUTTER HOME REDISCOVERED IN NETTLETON'S ADDITION (archived 7/5/06) Dave Steele knew when he
purchased his home at 2511 W. Maxwell in Nettleton’s Addition, that it had
been moved across the street from its original location around 1900. What
Steele didn’t know was that his home was designed by the
architectural firm of Cutter & Poetz. Built around 1891, this simple
two-story home was one of the earliest residential homes designed by the
pair of local architects. Listed as demolished by author Henry C. Matthews
in his book on Kirtland Cutter, Architect
in the Land of Promise, the home was actually moved to its current
location and utilized as a temporary residence for homeowners Waldo and
Louise Paine. Originally constructed at 2509 W. Summit Boulevard for Waldo
G. Paine, a railroad manager, and his wife Louise Nettleton Paine, the home
was rolled on logs around 1900 to 2511 W. Maxwell, a residential lot
immediately behind the home’s original location. There Waldo and Louise
lived until a new house was constructed for them on the old site on Summit.
Designed by local prominent architect W.W. Hyslop, the Paines moved into
their new abode in 1906 and sold the old home in that same year to a
dentist, Starke Oliver. For the full story, visit the Nettleton's Addition website.
PLACEMAKING ON A BUDGET WORKSHOP (archived 7/5/06) Friday, June 16th at noon, at Auntie's Book Store, 402 West Main Street, Spokane. Placemaking on a Budget is about creating meaningful places for people by people and empowering communities to develop great places in which to be - authentic places that reinforce local pride and identity. The APA Inland Empire Section is pleased to present a two-hour workshop
for those engaged in planning, neighborhoods, and economic development. The
process was developed by Susan Jackson Harden and Al Zelinka who will be
leading the workshop on Friday, June 16th at noon at Auntie's Book Store,
402 West Main, Spokane.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS- SUCCESSFUL CASE STUDIES: SIGN UP NOW! (archived 5/26/06) “ Friday, May 12th, 7:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., City Hall, Lower Level, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The City invites you to participate in sessions
focusing on
Developers, realtors, appraisers and others interested
in urban development, will find our case studies to very insightful and
useful. Continuing Education Credits are available for architects (2 credits) and appraisers (4 credits). Currently there are no credits available for realtors. The fee for the workshop is $15 (cash or check; payable in advance preferred). For a full agenda and to download the registration form (PDF), click here. For more information, call Karen Marshall at
(509) 625-6983. In conjunction with “ The City
of Spokane, the Downtown
Spokane Partnership (DSP), Northwest
Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC), and spokanecondosales.com
introduces… Presented by Tomlinson Black. Live It Up! was created by the City of Spokane, DSP, MAC, spokanecondosales.com, and Tomlinson Black to showcase urban living options in downtown Spokane. The event is made possible through the generous support of our donors, particularly presenting sponsor Tomlinson Black, and will take place Mother's Day Weekend, May 13-14, 2006. To learn more, check out the Live It Up! website. Sponsored by the City of Spokane Economic Development Division
SPOKANE RECEIVES PRESERVE AMERICA GRANT (archived 5/26/06) Last year the City of Spokane was one
of just a few cities in Washington to receive the "Preserve
America Community" designation with the support of many
local partners. In Washington, D.C., Representative
Cathy McMorris accepted the designation on behalf of Spokane. In December 2005, Spokane applied for a $20,000 Preserve America Grant from the National Park Service. The grant was awarded in March 2006 for a new marketing campaign called Experience Historic Spokane, a focused heritage tourism program to promote Spokane's downtown historic resources and historic districts. The objective of Experience Historic Spokane will be to provide recognizable and consistent materials (in the form of guidebooks, walking tour brochures, and signage) and online resources designed for Spokane's increasing number of visitors and local residents. Forming a new public-private partnership, the City of Spokane's Historic Preservation Program will work in conjunction with the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture (MAC), Spokane Preservation Advocates (SPA), the Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP), and the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). Check out the City of Spokane's Official website to see the press release announcing the grant award. JOEL E. FERRIS INTERNSHIP AT THE MAC (archived 5/26/06)
For more information, click here. WASHINGTON STATE HERITAGE CAPITAL PROJECTS WORKSHOPS Washington
State Heritage Capital Projects Fund is offering workshops
to assist potential applicants with grant applications. Projects need to
provide heritage preservation and/or interpretation. Each HCPF grant dollar
must be matched with $2, half of which may be in-kind. The
following workshops to assist potential applicants are set
for 10 a.m. – 12 noon:
Applications
will be available at the workshops and then online at www.washingtonhistory.org.
The deadline for submission has been extended to May
11, 2006. An Advisory Panel, chaired by former State Representative Val Ogden, will produce a ranked list of $4 million in projects and $2 million in alternates. The ranked list will be submitted for incorporation into the Governor’s proposed budget, which is released in December. The actual state capital budget will be passed by the Legislature and then signed by the Governor, which typically occurs in May or June. CITY SEEKS PROPOSALS FOR ROOKERY BLOCK The City of Spokane is seeking proposals from private developers willing to purchase the Rookery and Mohawk buildings and surrounding property at Riverside and Howard downtown. These buildings face the threat of being torn down. But, they also could have significant historical value if properly restored. The City has been working to help save these structures (see below, DEMOLITION BEGINS ON THE ROOKERY BLOCK). The idea isn’t to spend taxpayer dollars; it’s to get these buildings in the hands of private developers who do this kind of work best. That’s why we’re seeking proposals now. Information about the property and the RFP are attached. The deadline to submit proposals is Feb. 20, 2006 at 1 p.m. Amended Rookery Block
RFP For inquires or other communications about this Request for Proposals, contact: Teresa Brum Development Incentives & Historic Preservation 3rd
Floor, City of Spokane 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. Spokane, Washington 99201 509.625.6983
PROPOSED POLICY CHANGE FOR SPECIAL VALUATION FOR The Spokane
Historic Landmarks Commission is considering a new procedure relating to
the administration of the Special
Valuation Historic Property Tax Incentive. The Commission is
interested in your comments, and invites you to attend a special meeting
from 2:00-3:00 on January 18, Council Briefing Room, Lower Level of City
Hall, 808 West Spokane Falls Blvd. Written comments will also be
accepted between January 18 and February 15, 2006. The new
procedure under consideration is as follows: “The Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission shall only consider approval of Special Valuation expenditures for work performed after a nomination to the Spokane Historic Register has been approved by the Commission. The Commission may make exceptions for work completed prior to listing the property on the Spokane Register if it has been approved through a preliminary design review process.” Written comments can be mailed or emailed to: Spokane Historic Preservation Office 3rd
Floor, City of Spokane 808 West Spokane Falls Boulevard Spokane,
Washington 99201 509.625.6983
LOOK FOR THE PINK: GIRLS DAY OUT! City of Spokane Neighborhood Business Centers Program, in support of Spokane's neighborhoods, invited women of all ages to come have fun and shop Girls Day Out in four of Spokane's neighborhood business centers: Garland District, North Monroe, Historic Hillyard, and South Perry. Funded by a 2005 grant from Foundation Northwest, Girls Day Out was Saturday, December 3, 2005. For more information and to see how it went, Link to the pink! DEMOLITION BEGINS ON THE ROOKERY BLOCK Demolition
started last week on the Rookery and Mohawk Buildings, but was quickly
halted when the City initiated last minute discussions with the owner ab On November 14, 2005 Spokane City Council considered a resolution to purchase the Rookery Block for $4,750,000 with the intention of immediately offering the building for sale to a qualified buyer on the condition of the intent to move forward to develop the property. The Council deferred action for another week, with the intent of collecting more information. Over 100 preservationists attended the council meeting last night, most of them members of Spokane Preservation Advocates. On November 21, the City Council will vote on whether or not to purchase the property. Both the Rookery and Mohawk Buildings have been determined eligible for listing on the local Spokane Register and National Registers of Historic Places. MONROE
STREET BRIDGE GRAND REOPENING The Monroe Street Bridge reopened on September 16, 2005 after a two year rehabilitation. Originally completed in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and on the Spokane Register in 1990, the two day grand reopening of the bridge began with a gala fundraising ball for Spokane Preservation Advocates (SPA), followed by an all-day street fair on the bridge which ended in a grand fireworks finale. To view a slide show of the Monroe Street Bridge rehabilitation and grand reopening, click here. CITY
COUNCIL PASSES DEMOLITION ORDINANCE On July
11, 2005, Spokane City Council enacted an ordinance (Section
17D.040.230)
restricting demolition
of historic structures, which was the first preservation ordinance to
be passed in Spokane in nearly 25 years.
Council
member Brad Stark, who was in favor of the ordinance, called the ordinance
an important “balancing act” between private and public interests. Members of a city task force had
worked with city staff for over a year to come up with an ordinance that
would be acceptable to property rights advocates and preservation
developers. In the final days
prior to the hearing on the ordinance, several versions of the ordinance
were proposed to City Council, each representing varying degrees of
restriction. A final version
received support from two large nonprofit groups; Downtown Spokane
Partnership and Spokane Preservation Advocates, who testified in support of
the ordinance. Council
President Dennis Hession commented favorably on their testimony, saying,
“we don’t often have a situation like this where we have a compromise by
two significant groups.” The
ordinance would take effect September 9, 2005. The new ordinance prohibits the demolition of historic buildings if for the purpose of surface parking. It applies to historic buildings in neighborhood National Historic Districts and also to listed and eligible historic buildings in downtown Spokane. Provisions for economic impairment, as defined by the Spokane real estate appraisal experts, were included in the ordinance, as was a city ad hoc committee to assist in the review of applications for economic impairment. The preservation of historic buildings is a significant interest in Spokane, where developers have recently been rehabilitating buildings at a rate exceeding other cities in Washington. For example, in 2004, Spokane developers renovated more historic buildings than in any other city in the state. Historic preservation has stimulated private spending in Spokane, where $110 million was invested in historic renovation in the last 14 years. More information is available at the City-County Historic Preservation Office at (509) 625-6983 or at www.historicspokane.org. For more information on the demolition ordinance and frequently asked questions, click here. ONE POSITION STILL OPEN ON THE SPOKANE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION The Landmarks Commission still has one commissioner opening: Central Business District Representative- an owner or managing agent in a fiduciary capacity of real estate in Spokane’s central business district. Download an application form or call the Office of the Mayor for an application at (509) 625-6250. To learn more about the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission, click here. NETTLETON'S ADDITION IS LISTED ON THE WASHINGTON STATE HERITAGE REGISTER On June 28, 2005, Nettleton's Addition Historic District was listed on the Washington Heritage Register. Nettleton's joins over 1,500 other historic and culturally significant properties in the state. The nomination for the district will now go on to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington D.C. for listing on the National Register.
To learn more about Nettleton's Addition Historic District, check out the Nettleton's Addition website.
West Central Neighborhood Grant Update The project has been a year in the making and is the result of numerous volunteer hours spent in photographing, researching, and documenting the history of Nettleton's 1st and 2nd Additions in the West Central neighborhood. Ms. Painter will also be giving a ten minute presentation on the history and architecture of both additions with an emphasis on the homes associated with the Chamberlin Real Estate and Improvement Company, a Spokane home building firm that offered pattern book designs, financing, and construction of homes in the neighborhood at the turn-of-the-century. For information on the Nettleton's Addition For more information, check out the Nettleton's Addition website. TWO POSITIONS OPEN ON THE SPOKANE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION Historian with an interest in historic preservation and have appropriate degrees or equivalent experience. City at Large Representative - a person living within Spokane City with an interest in historic preservation. Download application form (acrobat reader format) or call the Office of the Mayor for an application, (509) 625-6250. To learn more about the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission, click here. The New Neighborhood Business District Revitalization for Centers and Corridors program is a cooperative venture between three City departments: Planning Services, Historic Preservation, and Economic Development. The program, nicknamed "NBC," supports economic growth and development in Spokane neighborhood business districts. The State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development awarded a competitive Growth Management Act grant to Planning Services to fund a coordinator for this innovative program because the City's Comprehensive Plan designates 20 business centers and corridors within the city where business revitalization efforts will occur. Spokane's small business districts are an important part of the social and economic fabric of the city. Existing commercial buildings, public facilities, and housing stock are valuable assets in each neighborhood. Because of their historic heritage and cultural resources, each district possesses a unique "sense of place" that can deliver services and retail in an authentic and highly desirable environment. Revitalization of Spokane's center and corridor business districts is indeed tied to economic development. Small business creation, attraction, retention, and enhancement in these areas will encourage growth and contribute to a more vigorous and diversified local economy. Previously, the Plan Commission chose four centers to go through a Pilot Planning Process: Hillyard Business Corridor, West Broadway Neighborhood Center, Holy Family Employment Center, and the South Perry Neighborhood Center. The strategy plan that was developed for Hillyard included economic revitalization of historic downtown Hillyard. NBC will take advantage of the momentum from the successful implementation of several projects from Hillyard's strategy plan and use the Hillyard Business Corridor as a "classroom" for other business centers. These projects include obtaining a Local Register of Historic Places district designation, streetscape design, and "start-up" level status with the State's Downtown Revitalization Program. A facade improvement program is another Hillyard success story. Funded by grants to the Historic Preservation and Planning Departments, lessons learned from this project will contribute to potential NBC facade improvement programs for other center business districts. The NBC program will continue to be based on community participation and work towards implementing the local vision. The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street Program is another tool of the NBC program. The Main Street program is a holistic approach to revitalization that encompasses four fundamental principles--design, promotion, economic restructuring, and organization--all within an historic preservation context: · Design ranges from big projects like streetscapes to bring back the original pedestrian orientation and restoration of building facades, to simple volunteer projects like cleanup days. · Promotion encourages shopping and helps restore the business district's role of being the heart of the community--the place for social interaction, celebration, and demonstration. · Economic restructuring helps old business districts rise to the challenges of today's economy. ·
Organization is a means of bringing about consensus and
a focused effort from various stakeholders. As part of the NBC program, city-wide neighborhood business district revitalization programs in Boston, Baltimore, Washington DC, Milwaukee and Tacoma are being researched and evaluated for potential application in Spokane. Other preliminary tasks include determining the needs of the districts and the services that are already being offered. After that, a program structure and funding sources will be determined. Finally, an evaluation of progress towards fulfilling the goals of the Comprehensive Plan and the NBC program will be made, along with a report to the Mayor and City Council. The development of the NBC program is an acknowledgement that regulations alone will not bring about the vision of the Comprehensive Plan. Regulations alone will not attract private investment and stimulate growth in our Center and Corridor business district areas. It takes good strategy planning, capital investment, partnerships, and organization. NBC is a dynamic and creative response to these requirements. City of Spokane is using a $35,000 grant to look at developing a brand new Neighborhood Business District Revitalization Program, nicknamed “NBC.” After a 2-month search, Spokane was fortunate to hire an experienced downtown development individual, Genna Nashem, to work for one year to help city departments of Historic Preservation, Economic Development and Planning develop the program. The program targets existing commercial areas in Hillyard, South Perry and Broadway, which are already poised for revitalization, but need help transforming their neighborhood business districts into centers of economic activity. New program associate Genna Nashem has a Master’s degree in Urban Planning, with a Certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Washington. Most recently, Ms. Nashem spent the last year running the Main Street business district revitalization program for the city of Enumclaw. A native of Montana, she has spent the past 15 years living and working in the Seattle area. The grant is from the state Community & Economic Development Department, Growth Management Division and will be used to support Center and Corridor business districts and maintain the investment the community is making in these areas. sPOKANE CITY COUNCIL eXTENDS ORDINANCE TO STOP ISSUANCE OF DEMOLITION PERMITS FOR hISTORIC PROPERTIES Ordinance No. C-33399, regarding demolition permits for structures listed or eligible to be listed on the National or Local Register of Historic Places, was enacted with an expiration date of 180 days if subsequent legislation was not enacted. During the past six months, a task force was formed to review the ordinance and make recommendations regarding subsequent legislation. The Task Force, the Landmarks Commission and the Plan Commission have all reviewed the ordinance and have made various recommendations. The ordinance will expire on September 25, 2004, unless extended. This ordinance will extend the expiration date for an additional 180 days. Historic Rookery and Mohawk Buildings Temporarily Saved From Demolition As stated in the Spokesman-Review article dated November 16, 2004, "The three-story Rookery, built in 1934 and the seven-story Mohawk, built in 1915, remain standing..." "The Los Angles development firm Renaissance Community Fund LLC has paid a nonrefundable deposit for the property, said principal Craig Stevens. Renaissance plans to renovate the Rookery into condominiums and the Mohawk into apartments. An additional condominium building would be built on empty land on the block, as well as a parking structure, Stevens said. The street level would offer retail space. However, Stevens cautioned that the deal isn't scheduled to close until February..." of the National Main Street Center. After a refresher presentation on the Main Street 4 Point Approach,™ attendees split up into committees of Design, Promotion, Economic Restructuring and Organization to discuss and organize the next steps in improving the Market Street business district. For more information on this meeting or to find out how you can get involved, contact Ann Marie Hamilton at amgreat@comcast.net. Mayor Jim West announced the City's intention to attain Preserve America Community designation for the City of Spokane In the interest of strengthening regional identity and local pride in Spokane's cultural and historic heritage, on October 29th, Mayor Jim West announced the City's intention to attain Preserve America Community designation for the City of Spokane. Preserve America is a White House initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. With Preserve America the City of Spokane seeks to strengthen the public-private partnership between local government, businesses, civic associations, and non-profit organizations in the interest of preserving Spokane's historic and cultural heritage. Mayor West acknowledged the importance of preservation as being a vital part of Spokane's economic development, citing that, "historic preservation is not just about our history, it's also about our economics." He further explained that recognition from the Preserve America program would further enhance the importance of historic preservation for Spokane's economic revitalization effort. The October 29th meeting, sponsored by Mayor West and the Historic Preservation Department, brought together local government officials, business leaders and organizations interested in preserving Spokane's great cultural heritage. For further information about Preserve America visit the website at: www.preserveamerica.gov. To view the Preserve America application go to: http://www.preserveamerica.gov/communities-form.pdf |
ashington. 
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owntown
on Post Street. The Merrills commissioned Spokane architect W.W. Hyslop to
design the home, a Craftsman style bungalow. The Merrills occupied the home
through 1911. The home sold numerous times over the next 40 years until
Francis and Mary Edmund purchased the property. The Edmunds would occupy the
home for the next 50 years. 
to
the rafters; repairing, remortaring, and rebuilding the brick exterior
chimney; fireplace and chimney were lined for functional use; rewiring the
interior of the home and consolidating outside access wires to minimize
visual impact; reconstructing the rotten front steps and front porch; any
missing or exterior wood shingles beyond repair were replaced and painted;
the interior hardwood floors were refinished, both upstairs and down;
unfinished attic space was finished as two walk-in closets; upstairs
bathroom was completely remodeled and included the installation of a shower
and all new tile; and the kitchen was refinished and repainted..jpg)
n
of the 
m to support the preservation of
historic barns. 
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ign Award and the
Resources Council Product Design Award (ROSCOE) and Nettleton’s Addition
resident, has fabricated the first of a series of 
that was designed by prominent Spokane architect Albert Held for the
Marshall-Wells Hardware Company of 
