Spokane, what's it like? (Seattle, Davenport: rental car, 2010, rental)

[Deena160]

Hi, Tada! Monroe to Edmonds, huh? yikes. One of my best friends was commuting from Everett to Monroe--gotta love that fair traffic, eh? Not to mention going on that stretch of Hwy 2 can sometimes make your life flash before your eyes!
Where were you looking at in Spokane? We think we like the south Valley and it'll be easy enough for my husband's work. I thought, driving around, that it kind of felt like Marysville at times.
Hopefully we'll get our house on the market soon and price it right to sell. Our kitchen remodel is nearly done! WHOOHOO! :~) D

[chi-chi]

Hello everyone!! This is my first post on this forum. I won't say much today as I have to leave for my volunteer work . I lived in Spokane from 1953/1964 and loved it at that time. I have friends I continue to visit from time to time. It will take a bit of time to learn to maneuver this new forum.

I now post in the Seattle PI Forum and thought I'd try Spokane!!

Take care!! Chi-

[chiaroscuro]

Originally Posted by chi-chi

Hello everyone!! This is my first post on this forum. I won't say much today as I have to leave for my volunteer work . I lived in Spokane from 1953/1964 and loved it at that time. I have friends I continue to visit from time to time. It will take a bit of time to learn to maneuver this new forum.

I now post in the Seattle PI Forum and thought I'd try Spokane!!

Take care!! Chi-

Hello there. I would just like to point out that you stole my nickname

[Xa'at]

Spokane is like any other big city! There are nice parts, and bad parts. Here's how I see it.
Pros
-Spokane is a relatively progressive city in the middle of a very podunk region of the country.
-There is lots of stuff to do, a good night life, museums, theatres, plenty of restaurants etc.
-The people are very nice.
-Riverfront Park is awesome.
-Driving a few hours in any direction can get you all sorts of places.

Cons
-Spokane is essentially located right at the edge of the Columbia basin desert. Outside of what people have planted it's very arid and scrubby.
-When held in comparison with other Pac NW cities, it's pretty conservative, which, depending on your angle, could be a good thing.
-Scenically, it's nothing spectacular, in fact I find it pretty ugly. But some people like the desert landscape...

Hope this helps!

[kena]

Once you get west of Spokane and into the Columbia basin it gets pretty arid and desert-like. Spokane proper, however, is treed and pretty green. It isn't like Seattle or anything but no one would confuse it with Vegas, Phoenix, etc. You can check out this link with pictures in all directions from the top of one of the hospitals in Spokane. It is a big thread if you have a slow connection but gives a nice sense of place. Spokane, WA What a View! - SkyscraperPage Forum

[WendyK]

That is an excellent link to pictures, Kena. Hope that clears up any misconceptions about it being desert like here in Spokane.

[st33lcas3]

kena- You can check out this link with pictures in all directions from the top of one of the hospitals in Spokane.

Wow. Aside from a new convention center (the large sloping building next to the Opera House), downtown looks the same as it did when I left 12 years ago. Heck, it looks the same as it did 30 years ago when I was a kid. No cranes, no new skyscrapers, same dirty look as always.

[kena]

Originally Posted by st33lcas3

kena- You can check out this link with pictures in all directions from the top of one of the hospitals in Spokane.

Wow. Aside from a new convention center (the large sloping building next to the Opera House), downtown looks the same as it did when I left 12 years ago. Heck, it looks the same as it did 30 years ago when I was a kid. No cranes, no new skyscrapers, same dirty look as always.

I suppose dirty is a matter of opinion, I like the all the brick buildings myself. I think it lends a sense of history and place in contrast to somewhere like downtown Bellevue, which is nice but kind of sterile in my opinion. Downtown has seen over 3 billion in new investment over the past several years Downtown Spokane. You might note the new Davenport Tower in those pictures (21 floors), the American West Bank Building, River Park Square, the Arena, the new buildings at GU and in the University District, etc. What isn't apparent is the fact that many of those older buildings have been remodeled and reused, making for some cool projects. For example, the Davenport Hotel, the Steam Plant, the Fox Theater, the areas around West 1st and Main St just west of Division. It all depends on how you look look at things I suppose.

[Deena160]

[quote=kena;3734044]I suppose dirty is a matter of opinion, I like the all the brick buildings myself. I think it lends a sense of history and place in contrast to somewhere like downtown Bellevue, which is nice but kind of sterile in my opinion. QUOTE]
Bellevue was exactly the place I was thinking of when ST33 mentioned skyscrapers and cranes! I think it looks awful every time I have to drive through it and it takes SOOOOOOOOOOOO long to get through Bellevue because of the horrendous traffic, that you have plenty of time to take in all the sterile, unpleasant scenery.
Give me Spokane anytime! :~) D

[st33lcas3]

Kena and Deena -

I'm not talking about turning downtown Spokane into some sterile lifeless area. I'm talking about growth in the downtown core. Sure fixing up the old Fox theater or the Davenport is nice, but that only does so much. Spokane prides itself on being the cultural and financial center of the area, yet you couldn't tell by driving through town.
The skyline hasn't had a major change in decades and that's sad.