After years of rancorous debate, it’s refreshing to see that developers finally have reached the point where they can move forward with design work for three neighboring, but separately owned, commercial properties in the Southgate area of the South Hill.
It will be exciting, furthermore, to see what emerges from the process under which the developers are being required to create an integrated site plan for the mostly bare parcels, located near the intersection of Regal Street and Palouse Highway. We hope that unusual process goes smoothly and that neighboring residents are pleased—or at least satisfied—with the results, though some no doubt will continue to be opposed to any additional commercial development in that area.
The integrated site plan will focus on things such as adhering to a consistent design theme, establishing good pedestrian connections, preserving views and trees, and melding the properties aesthetically and through smooth traffic flow into the surrounding urban district—all laudable goals.
The site plan potentially could be completed as early as this spring, some of those involved in the process say, and its approval would clear the way for development activity to begin on the respective sites as soon as the currently weak demand for commercial space recovers a bit.
As noted by Spokane developer Dave Black, one of the property owners participating in the joint site-planning process, now is a good time to complete all of that preliminary work so contractors can begin turning dirt quickly once tenants are secured.
The integrated site-planning process was required in development agreements reached for each of the properties as a way to settle litigation brought by neighborhood activists who had challenged proposed city of Spokane comprehensive plan amendments and zoning changes sought by developers.
A land-use attorney representing Black said such a requirement is “very unusual,” but noted that it’s unusual for separate developers to seek zone changes simultaneously for several sites in such close proximity. The requirement seems reasonable enough and a good compromise for all involved, and we would hope that the developers’ projects each will benefit from the process by having complementary design schemes.
Each of the development properties includes about 15 acres of land, and the projects developed on them could range into the tens of millions of dollars, which—during a time of fragile economic recovery—would be a huge boon for the city. Given the dearth of commercial services on the South Hill, it seems likely that once projects get rolling there, users will gobble up the land quickly.
The property that Black owns or controls stretches between Regal and the Palouse Highway just south and east of where those two busy thoroughfares intersect, and fronts on both roads. One of the other properties, owned by Spokane Radio Inc. and known as the KXLY property, is located on the west side of Regal, just south of the Spokane Youth Sports Association’s South Complex, at Regal and 46th Avenue. The third property has multiple owners and is located on the north side of the Palouse Highway, just southeast of the Shopko store at 4515 S. Regal.
In an understandable concession, given critics’ concerns and factoring in surrounding land uses, the Spokane City Council restricted the developments to include only one big-box store each that exceeds 100,000 square feet of space and required other retail buildings for the sites to be substantially smaller.
Once completed, the integrated site plan will be reviewed by the city’s design review committee, with comments from the Southgate Neighborhood Council, which also seems appropriate and hopefully will enable nearby residents to feel like their opinions were weighed. The design review committee then will make a recommendation to the city planning director, which we hope will result in a finding that enables the thoughtful development of these tediously debated properties—finally—to begin.
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