Spokane, Washington neighborhoods

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Spokane, Washington has a variety of neighborhoods, ranging from the late Victorian-era to the ultra modern, with every social class represented. Many of these, both in and around Spokane, are commonly referred to by name. Some of the neighborhoods listed here are not officially recognized by the city, but are listed as they are known by the citizens of Spokane.

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[edit] Browne's Addition

A National Historic District west of Downtown, Browne's Addition was Spokane's first prestigious address. Notable for its array of old mansions built by Spokane's early elite, in Queen Anne and early Craftsman styles, the area also is home to Coeur d'Alene Park and the recently rebuilt and expanded Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC). A prominent feature of the MAC is Campbell House, a turn of the 20th century mansion built by Asa Campbell, a local mining magnate. The venerable home retains most of its original decor and is a favorite tour destination.

[edit] Downtown

Main article: Downtown Spokane

Spokane's central business core boasts recently revitalized shopping, housing, and entertainment services, with major projects recently completed and underway. Downtown is the cultural heart of the city and is particularly notable for Riverfront Park (site of the 1974 World's Fair), the Inland Northwest Bank Performing Arts Center, the newly remodeled and expanded Convention Center, River Park Square mall, the Davenport Hotel (which anchors the growing Davenport Arts District), numerous shops, pubs, and restaurants, and much new urban housing on the way. Of special note is a brand new neighborhood being developed on the northern periphery of the downtown core. The new development is called Kendall Yards, and follows similar projects in cities like Houston and Denver. It will feature over 1,500 new urban residences and tens of thousands of square feet of new shopping, entertainment, and office space, making it one of the largest upscale urban redevelopment projects in the country.

Downtown is home to Spokane's city and county government offices, most notably the Spokane County Courthouse, built in the style of a French chateaux and featuring large turrets and spires. A similarly historic structure houses the Spokane Athletic Club, a Spokane social institution housed in a Georgian-style building designed by famed Spokane architect Kirtland Cutter. The Club sits just across Riverside Avenue from Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral, seat of the Catholic Church in the Inland Northwest, and just across Monroe Street from the Thomas S. Foley United States Courthouse.

The recently rebuilt Monroe Street Bridge is Spokane's oldest river crossing, and is a notable symbol of the city featured in the city's crest. Nearby is the modern main branch of the Spokane Public Library, with its unparalled views of the Spokane River. Just down Monroe Street is the Fox Theatre, an art-deco movie theatre of yesteryear, currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation to become the new home of the Spokane Symphony. At the north end of Riverfront Park is the 12,000 seat Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, home to the Spokane Chiefs Hockey Club and Spokane Shock Arena Football Club. In addition to numerous local and regional events, the Arena plays host to events such as NCAA March Madness, numerous big-name concerts, and in 2007, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Across Mallon Avenue from the Arena is the Flour Mill, a converted structure that once produced flour in abundance but now houses a variety of offices, shops, and restaurants in a highly unique setting.

[edit] East Central

This neighborhood was bisected when Interstate 90 came through decades ago and is still recovering. The area sits at the foot of the South Hill, east of Downtown along the freeway. With plans for feeder lanes to be added to I-90, there will likely be further impact upon the neighborhood where it meets the pavement. What remains of the residential integrity of the area lies to the south of I-90, mostly in an area known as Liberty Park, while the area north of the freeway continues to decay. All in all, the city and neighboorhood must put their heads together to reinvigorate this area. The good news is that some individuals are taking it upon themselves to pump life into East Central, as home-seekers are taking advantage of low housing prices and renovating. Thus, East Central's image is changing to one of opportunity and positive changes are underway.

[edit] Five Mile

A former agricultural plateau that lies approximately five miles north of Downtown. Five Mile has experienced increasing residential development in recent years, owing to available land and panoramic views of the entire city and the valley in which it sits. Homes here tend to be more expensive due to the views. The development on Five Mile is mostly of the subdivision and residential community style.

[edit] Garland

A mid-20th century neighborhood a few miles north of Downtown. The area is considered a walking neighborhood with many local shops and the Garland Theatre, a popular independent movie theatre. The Garland Village is an excellent online guide to this treasured historic shopping district. You can also peruse The Garland Times, the neighborhood's independent newspaper, for all the latest that the neighborhood has to offer.

[edit] Hillyard

Main article: Hillyard, Spokane, Washington

A city chartered independently of Spokane, later incorporated into the Spokane city limits. "Downtown Hillyard", which runs along Market Street, was recently designated a National Historic District, a fact which should spur continued redevelopment of the district. Hillyard was named in honor of Great Northern Railroad magnate, James J. Hill. It is commonly known as the poorest section of Spokane. Often referred to as "Dogtown", relating to its residents high rate of dog ownership. A major north-south freeway now under construction in Spokane is expected to bring renewal to Hillyard's economy due to the area's proximity to this new transportation corridor. Hillyard is a proud home to many significant immigrant populations such as Russian, Marshall Islands,and Vietnamese.

[edit] Indian Trail

An arterial now runs along what was once literally a major Native American thoroughfare in the northwestern part of the city. Today, the area is dominated by middle to upper-middle class homes, many of which were built from the 1960s to the early 1980s. Many stands of native Ponderosa Pine trees cover the hills and praries of this neighborhood.

[edit] Logan

The Logan Neighborhood comprises the residential area just north of Gonzaga University in central Spokane. A large number of Gonzaga University students occupy many of the neighborhood's historic large 19th century houses, some in the Mission Historic District. During the school year parking can be a problem for residents and non-residents alike due to the presence of so many students, particularly when the 'Zags' are playing a home game at the McCarthy Athletic Center. However, the vibrant student life that gives the area its energy offsets any minor inconvenience. With its wide early century streets and housing variety, this area promises to catch the eye of many who want the close to Downtown and campus lifestyle coupled with affordable and charming homes that are ripe for restoration.

[edit] North Side

A collection of neighborhoods that extend from Downtown to the south all the way to the Mead area in the north. The area is largely residential, with a diverse collection of house styles and values, but also contains much of Spokane's retail footprint, as major shopping districts such as the Northtown Mall and Northpointe Plaza lie here. A drive up Division Street (the city's east-west meridian) takes you past all of it, until it splits into U.S. Highway 395 and U.S. Highway 2 at (The Y) the city's northern edge. Franklin Park, one of the city's major sports complexes, lies along Division Street near Northtown. The North Side is also home to Whitworth College, a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Whitworth boasts a strong academic standard at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. With enrollment near 2,500 combined undergraduate and graduate, students feel right at home on this suburban campus nestled amongst the pines.

[edit] Shadle

A residential neighborhood in the northwest part of the city that features a large park and sports complex known as Shadle Park, also home to Shadle Park High School. The area is composed largely of neat middle-class streets lined with modest post-war houses. There is also a site of historical interest here: Drumheller Springs lies nearly hidden behind rows of homes and a major north-south arterial called Ash Street. This small parcel was the site of the first white American-style school built in the Oregon Territory, circa 1830. Local Indians were taught here by Spokane Garry, a chief of the middle Spokane people who preached Christianity and peace among the Native Americans that inhabited Inland Northwest. This site is now managed by the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department as a natural area. A trail that once led from downtown Spokane all the way to Canada still runs through the small, quiet preserve.

[edit] South Hill

A catch-all phrase for various neighborhoods that cover the hills south of Downtown, from historic to contemporary. The area includes Manito Park and other South Hill neighborhoods - Lincoln Heights, Cannon's Addition, South Perry, Comstock, and Moran Prairie. The South Hill is commonly considered Spokane's old money area and is often thought of as a figurative opposite to Spokane's north side, which tends to be more commercialized and sprawling. From Downtown, the view of the South Hill is dominated by evergreen trees and two large man-made features: Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane's largest hospital, and the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane and a magnificent example of modern English Gothic architecture.

[edit] Spokane Valley

The city of Spokane Valley lies to the east of Spokane and incorporated in 2003. Still referred to by locals simply as "the Valley," the area includes many of the unincorporated neighborhoods surrounding the new city. The city's districts include some former small towns that have long since become neighborhoods, including Millwood, Dishman, and Otis Orchards. The Spokane area's high-tech hub, the city of Liberty Lake, borders Spokane Valley to the east.

[edit] Sunset Hill

Main article: Sunset Hill, Spokane, Washington

Located just west of Downtown, near Spokane International Airport, Sunset Hill features older neighborhoods with more petite houses, as well as new subdivisions, however some of the lower parts of the hill are very poorly zoned areas with dirt roads, grass lots and very small, dilapidated homes. Sunset Hill is bisected by I-90 and Sunset Boulevard, which represents one of the remaining sections of the old U.S. Highway 2, once the main road between Spokane and Seattle prior to the completion of Interstate 90. In fact, I-90 features one of the most striking views of the city and Mt. Spokane behind it in the distance, as seen by travelers heading east along the freeway upon reaching the crest of the Hill on their way down into the city. Of note, the John A. Finch Arboretum, an expansive park filled with a variety of tree species and wildlife, is located on Sunset Hill.

[edit] University District

Just slightly north-east of downtown, the area boasts three campuses that connect in one large district of academic energy and student vitality. The district contains Gonzaga University and its 6,000 undergraduate students, as well as Washington State University - Spokane and Eastern Washington University's Riverpoint Campus. Plans call for dramatic increases in the student population in coming years, as well as additional housing, services, and entertainment geared toward a young, professional audience.

[edit] West Central

This neighborhood includes Washington State's largest National Historic District, Nettleton's Addition. Like much of Spokane, West Central suffered from mid-century suburban flight, but 2000 Census data showed significant improvement that has continued and expanded. In "Socio-Economic Changes in Spokane County Census Tracts from 1990 and 2000," the Spokane-Kootenai Real Estate Research Committee noted "a distinct decline in poverty levels" in West Central. More recently, discussion of Kendall Yards, a large-scale "new urbanism" development bordering the southern edge of West Central, has sparked renewed interest in this historic neighborhood. This is another of Spokane's ripe-for-restoration locations, with plentiful and architecturally interesting homes, quiet streets lined with mature trees, and a location near Downtown.

[edit] External links

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