Four the future - December 17

Today: Hillyard's future, Medical Lake schools, Hillyard revitalization, and Kendall Yards blogging.

• Hillyard outlines its future
  Source: Spokesman, 091217
  Summary: A community meeting was held to discuss a large number of topics of neighborhood interest. (And, it was not just the Hillyard neighborhood; it also included Bemiss and Whitman, the other two partners in the "Greater Hillyard Northeast Planning Alliance.") Topics included: parks, block watch, tourism, greening the community, graffiti, community gardens, community-oriented policing, economic development, light rail, and the community's image.
  Opinion: I encourage the leaders and community members of Greater Hillyard to look at the community development activities undertaken by the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative. There was a documentary filmed in 1997 entitled "Holding Ground" which shows their progress through the middle of the last decade. More information can be found at their web site at http://www.dsni.org/. (More on Hillyard below.)


• Medical Lake to vote on school bond
  Source: Spokesman, 091217
  Summary: Medical Lake will be revisiting a bond issue on the February ballot, as it failed in March 2008. If passed, the middle school will be expanded, two elementary schools will be combined, and one demolished. The elementary school, which currently serves children preschool through third grade, is a fire hazard, contains extensive asbestos, and a failed heating system. It was built in 1950's.
  Opinion: The failure of school bonds makes you wonder what would happen if the comprehensive plan for a community were adopted by the public, and implementation of the plan were decided upon by elected officials rather than the other way around.


• New lampposts stay dark for the holidays
  Source: Spokesman, 091217
  Summary: New lampposts were installed along Market Street, but the LED luminaries were not ready in time for the this month's retail activity.
  Opinion: Revitalization of downtown Hillyard is an important step toward a new image for the community. The loss of one holiday season is not critical considering the long term nature of the change. And, big props to the City of Spokane for testing and utilizing LED technology. They will use less energy, and save an immense amount of maintenance costs associated with changing light bulbs, as they are far more durable than incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. These initiatives will not only improve the streetscape generally, but will also make Market safer for pedestrians and show that Hillyard is embracing a green stance for the future.


• Greenstone - Kendall Yards
  Source: Greenstone, 091218
  Summary: Greenstone has launched a blog about Kendall Yards. In the first entry, they state that their guiding principles are: create places for people, enrich the existing, make connections, work with the landscape, mixed uses and form, manage the investment, and design for change.
  Opinion: Connecting to the community is an important step for the development of this property. One of the more serious mistakes that Black Rock made was thinking that connecting to the business community would be enough. Executive-style development efforts is the norm in Spokane, which is precisely why developers think they can get away with things, and do. But, things are changing. Greenstone demonstrates the right way to develop a community, and this effort is as welcomed as it is expected.