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  #221  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2006, 3:34 AM
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Any new pictures of the Davenport Tower anyone? With the addition of the new Condo Tower, downtown will have more concentration of high rise buildings compared to other cities it's size. Currently, it's downtown really compares to a larger city. Strong past, strong future!
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  #222  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2006, 6:24 AM
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A grocery store is the perfect strategic thing for downtown to have it grow.
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  #223  
Old Posted Jul 28, 2006, 5:53 PM
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Looks like a Whole Foods might very well happen also.

From http://www.spokanejournal.com/spokan...ticle&sub=2846

Effort to attract grocery to downtown intensifies
Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s look there, real estate sources say

By Emily Brandler


The opening of a grocery store downtown, which doesn’t have a full-line food store now, would be a boon to residents who live in new and converted multi-occupant buildings, and at least two specialty grocery chains are looking to see whether they can fill that need.

The chains, Whole Foods Market Inc. and Trader Joe’s Co. Inc., apparently are interested in the downtown-Spokane area, although Whole Foods Market also is looking at locations in other parts of the Spokane area, commercial real estate sources and downtown observers here say.

“Trader Joe’s is definitely looking at Spokane, and there have been rumors that Whole Foods would be a great addition to downtown,” says Marty Dickinson, president of the nonprofit Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP), which promotes economic development in the city core. “We’re starting to be looked at more seriously by people who want to start farmer’s markets or bring grocery chains here.”

Houston-based Whole Foods Market, a natural and organic foods chain, has more than 180 stores in North America and the United Kingdom, including two on the West Side, where it’s currently developing four more stores, its Web site says. Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe’s is a specialty and imported foods retailer with more than 200 stores in 19 states, including 12 in Western Washington, according to its Web site.

The Downtown Spokane Development Plan, which the city of Spokane enacted in 1999, envisioned heightened demand for grocery outlets as commercial and housing activity increased downtown, Dickinson says. Since then, she says, renovation of commercial buildings and a hot condominium market have proved that prediction to be right, and the DSP is focusing on attracting grocery store chains and farmer’s markets here.

“We absolutely need to bring a grocery store into downtown,” she says. “It’s a top priority of ours in working with developers and real estate agents to bring that about.”

Whole Foods Market is eyeing locations here for an outlet, says Chris Bell, a real estate agent at Tomlinson Black Commercial Inc. Whole Foods wants a building that has 60,000 square feet to 80,000 square feet of space and is within 20 minutes driving distance of 200,000 people, Bell says. The chain also typically looks for locations near areas that are highly populated by college-educated residents, he says.

Bell says he talked last March with a Seattle-based broker who handles Whole Foods’ real estate transactions in Washington, and the broker said he was looking at sites for Whole Foods in Spokane’s downtown, near Gonzaga University, and on the North Side.

That broker declined to comment for this story. A spokeswoman for Whole Foods Market says it hasn’t announced any store openings in Spokane, and that it typically releases such information when it announces its quarterly earnings.

Bell says it’s also been rumored that Whole Foods is considering a store in the proposed Kendall Yards development.

Tom Reese, project manager at Kendall Yards, says he’s been talking to retailers and grocery stores, and that a grocery store would be a great anchor for the mixed-use development. He declines to disclose further details.

Dickinson says she has worked with Tomlinson Black Commercial to show properties in downtown Spokane to a representative from Trader Joe’s.

Bell says he showed the Ridpath Hotel’s Executive Court building last month to the Seattle-based real estate agent who handles Trader Joe’s real estate transactions in Washington state. Trader Joe’s is looking for a 12,000-square-foot to 14,000-square-foot building that has 60 to 80 parking spaces, Bell says.

The real estate agent who represents Trader Joe’s couldn’t be reached for comment. A spokeswoman at Trader Joe’s says the company doesn’t have anything to confirm about a possible store here.

“They’ve been looking for months,” Bell says. “They’re committed to doing a location here, and they want to be downtown near the freeway.”

Mark McLees, a real estate agent at Tomlinson Black Commercial, says he has heard that Trader Joe’s has looked at the Top of China Buffet building, located at 202 W. Third, and the 32-story Vox Tower mixed-use building that developer Rob Brewster Jr. has said he wants to build at the east end of downtown.
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  #224  
Old Posted Jul 29, 2006, 12:15 AM
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I was looking at the critera that Whole Foods desires for their locations and I think the best spot would be right at the northeast corner of Division and riverside. With plans to extend riverside south of the u-district to reconnect with trent, I think that would be an ideal location. Great north/south access as well as east/west being so close to the freeway. High traffic area. Plus they are only looking to build a smaller than normal facility: 60,000-80,000 sqft. In addition, they are looking for highly educated customers. Sitting between the medical district and the U-district; can't get a more educated customer than that!!!!
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  #225  
Old Posted Jul 29, 2006, 12:41 AM
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^^^^ I do hope Rosauer's/Huckleberry's and Yokes gets into the scheme of things, since they are Spokane based and will give more variety. It would be nice if one of them put an Urban style grocery store in the Kendall Yards/ North riverbank area. Also, with Condo's starting in CDA, might be good a grocery store starts in downtown CDA also. I think its best to support local based business! With new Condos, it will increase new services downtown which in turn will increase the need for Commercial Services (which will produce a new Commercial Tower downtown).
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  #226  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 2:06 AM
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I stopped by the Davenport tower today and I sadly report, Its not looking any better



infact its so ugly it seems they where trying to match Boise'e Hampton Inn
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  #227  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 2:42 AM
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^
Yeah you're right that thing's pretty hideous.

Good thing it isn't too tall!
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  #228  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 4:31 AM
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^^^^ Well it's going to get taller! Too bad it will block a nice highrise like the Washington Trust Bank Building. Still hoping for the best with the Tower though! The new Condo Tower south of the railroad track will help (if it is a good design) since it will be in front of the Wells Fargo Building and east of the new Davenport Tower.
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  #229  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 6:59 AM
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maybe this will inspire taller building around it to block it in. I love what Wells did to the davenport, but when it comes to new architecture the man is clueless.
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  #230  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 9:23 AM
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maybe he will hang a large banner, advertizing for the figureskating championships, that will cover the whole southside of the building........LOL
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  #231  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 9:43 AM
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The worst parts are those completely blank concrete sidewalls. And the windows.........I..........I..........screw it, I'm gonna give myself a brain anuerism, ulsers, and maybe a hernia too.

Please let this building get better.
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  #232  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 2:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbanlife
maybe this will inspire taller building around it to block it in. I love what Wells did to the davenport, but when it comes to new architecture the man is clueless.
^^^^ You mean Worthy, right? Don't think Ron wants to be associated with this building!

You can't totally blame Worthy....what about the architectural firm?

Still hoping for the best with the tower!
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  #233  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 8:01 PM
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Hmmm . . . hasn't anyone been able to dig up a rendering of the Davenport Tower???
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  #234  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 11:05 PM
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The firm doesn't even want to post a rendering of this building or add it to their portfolio now that they realize how ugly the building is. The city should enact some sort of law for downtown construction stating that "buildings must be asteticly pleasing".
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  #235  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2006, 11:51 PM
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Only problem is who gets to decide what is and is not pleasing? Everyone thinks they themselves have good taste. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all.

Still too early for me to make a final declaration that the DavTower is ugly, but with every passing day I am afraid I might end up on that side of the fence. Hopefully they have some nice touches to add after construction is completed.
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  #236  
Old Posted Aug 1, 2006, 12:09 AM
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I was initially waiting to see as well, but I was trying to think of some things they could do to improve the structure to make it even appear satisfactory and I could think of nothing!!!! Unless they border the building in neon lights at night, that is the only thing that will take our eyes and attention from the air condition vents that sit in every room . Don't really know what they could do during the daytime. Anyone have any ideas? The only thing that I am happy about this building is they did remove a surface parking lot, and it will add to the density downtown which in turn brings other businesses and services downtown such as more restaurants and retail shops downtown!
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  #237  
Old Posted Aug 1, 2006, 12:11 AM
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anyways.....there are two types of skyscrapers......ones that look good from the freeway and ones that look good up close. The Davenport tower does not fit either bill!!!!
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  #238  
Old Posted Aug 1, 2006, 12:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by revrw
I was initially waiting to see as well, but I was trying to think of some things they could do to improve the structure to make it even appear satisfactory and I could think of nothing!!!! Unless they border the building in neon lights at night, that is the only thing that will take our eyes and attention from the air condition vents that sit in every room . Don't really know what they could do during the daytime. Anyone have any ideas? The only thing that I am happy about this building is they did remove a surface parking lot, and it will add to the density downtown which in turn brings other businesses and services downtown such as more restaurants and retail shops downtown!
Since it's basically a rectangular box upright.....about the only way to change the look is to add things to the outside. Hopefully, the awnings (Orange in color as I recall) might add a new look. Since you were brainstorming, I think the only way they could change the appearance is to have the windows in like a bronzed mirror effect. They could add horizontal metal slats (at each floor going across the entire front of the building at each floor) to match the windows. On the East and West sides, they could add Two wide vertical metal slats to go all the way up the tower. Around the top, they could put up accent lights all around the concrete top. The Penthouse would be the same bronze color as the metal slats, but more modern in design.
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  #239  
Old Posted Aug 1, 2006, 6:16 AM
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That certainly would improve the look. Sounds like alot of reflective bronze, but it would make the outward appearance better!
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  #240  
Old Posted Aug 1, 2006, 6:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hub for an Empire
^^^^ You mean Worthy, right? Don't think Ron wants to be associated with this building!

You can't totally blame Worthy....what about the architectural firm?

Still hoping for the best with the tower!
opps, my bad. Yeah I think Ron Wells would hunt me down for that comment.
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