Why is Spokane's skyline so stagnent? (Seattle, Bellevue: living, zoning, cost of living)

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

It appears some landowners are interested in big buildings (no surprise) but it would appear that the customers and / or banks are not as excited about it.


Skyscrapers need a ton of parking. They don't always provide enough. Because it is expensive.

They need a lot of parking and/or great transit options.

That said, Spokane has a great historic downtown, beautiful access to Riverfront Park, and so much potential. Wanted to add a few positives to my OP.

I will cheer for this new tall proposal mentioned by boxkicker. Though the owner doesn't sound terribly confident in the S-R article:

"Reached by phone, the landowner, Vincent Dressel, declined to comment, noting that the project is far from completion. He said he was not “all hat and no cattle” and would comment later if the plans moved toward realization.

Dressel may be right in his caution. A number of high-rise buildings have been proposed for the city core, but none are under construction."

[Yeledaf]

Luckily, the park pretty much eliminates the possibility of giant buildings going up on the south bank. There is no need for huge faceless highrises in Spokane. There are plenty of vintage downtown buildings being renovated and repurposed, which is as it should be in a town like Spokane.

Every time visit the ridiculously ostentatious Davenport Grand, filled as it is with eastern Washingtonians wandering through its gargantuan halls, gaping at the outsized decorations and vulgar water features (while actually trying to find the goldurned WASHROOM), I can’t help contrasting it with the actual Davenport, a stunningly beautiful, vintage human-sized hotel which represents Spokane architecture and ambience at its classic, modest best.

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

Luckily, the park pretty much eliminates the possibility of giant buildings going up on the south bank. There is no need for huge faceless highrises in Spokane. There are plenty of vintage downtown buildings being renovated and repurposed, which is as it should be in a town like Spokane.

Every time visit the ridiculously ostentatious Davenport Grand, filled as it is with eastern Washingtonians wandering through its gargantuan halls, gaping at the outsized decorations and vulgar water features (while actually trying to find the goldurned WASHROOM), I can’t help contrasting it with the actual Davenport, a stunningly beautiful, vintage human-sized hotel which represents Spokane architecture and ambience at its classic, modest best.

Ugh...and the horrible dinosaur egg wall behind the front desk. Or whatever it’s supposed to be. I’ve found nothing I like about the Grand or it’s restaurant either, but I love the original Davenport.

[509]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Seriously, the tallest building in Spokane was completed 37 years ago. And it is only 281 feet. The Seattle suburb of Bellevue has atleast 15 buildings taller. Seattle itself has 75 buildings taller.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ngs_in_Spokane

While the number of high-rises does not always correlate with the health of a business district, or even a city, it is a significant visual clue.

If I am missing something here, please clue me in. But for now, Spokane looks like something out of the late 70's at best.

I think they are building sidewalks.

Does downtown Bellevue has sidewalks now?? I remember going there for a business trip in 1992 and there were NO SIDEWALKS downtown.

REALLY!!! When I asked about it....I was told everybody drives, why do you need a sidewalk??

Growth once you past 18...is usually called CANCER.

[texasdiver]

High rises aren’t everything. Which of these two cities is more interesting?



Or

[elkotronics]

The one on top. Guess I must be a 'Fool For The City!'

[texasdiver]

Originally Posted by elkotronics

The one on top. Guess I must be a 'Fool For The City!'

You picked downtown Houston over the west bank of Paris.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

You picked downtown Houston over the west bank of Paris.

Ah, Paris!

Sur la route de Montmartre
De Montmartre à Paris
J’ai rencontré trois filles
Trois filles de mon pays

Ah, les fraises et les framboises !
Les vins qu’nous avons bus
Et les belles villageoises
Nous ne les verrons plus

[PS90]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

High rises aren’t everything. Which of these two cities is more interesting?



Or

If I had to pick, it would certainly be the bottom pic. But if I had a choice, I would choose option C - a big open field without a single building of any height.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

Ah, Paris!

Sur la route de Montmartre
De Montmartre à Paris
J’ai rencontré trois filles
Trois filles de mon pays

Ah, les fraises et les framboises !
Les vins qu’nous avons bus
Et les belles villageoises
Nous ne les verrons plus

Here’s a nice English-language version:


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bNPN8Kqa5hk