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Neighborhood Spotlight: West Central/Kendall Yards
West Central is the most booming neighborhood in all of Spokane – all thanks to the newer Kendall Yards development. This development is revitalizing the neighborhood: giving it a new life, new visitors and new retail spots and restaurants.
West Central is just north of the Spokane River, meaning it’s minutes from downtown Spokane and offers gorgeous views of the city and water. The Kendall Yards development has been a long time coming: the land was purchased about 20 years ago but the first shops went in about seven years ago. With the huge investment that Kendall Yards is, property values in West Central are going up and the area is growing extremely fast.
History
In the late 1800s it was an area only reached by a ferry. People who came over noticed the amazing views and by 1909, it was Spokane’s newest and hottest suburb. On the far west side of West Central was an amusement park that was very Coney Island-like. It was first called Ingersoll’s and then was renamed Natatorium Park when an Olympic-sized pool was built – and filled with river water – and they wanted a new, “fancy” name for it. The Looff Carousel (which is now at Riverfront Park) was a staple of the park. There were also various rides, rollercoasters, and a baseball park. Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio even played there! However, once TV came around and more people stayed inside, the park lost its luster and closed in 1968.
Top Spots
Restaurant
Best restaurant goes to The Wandering Table. The food here is SO GOOD and I highly recommend getting the chef’s pick. The chef knows what he’s doing: Adam Hegsted is a James Beard Award Finalist and has won many awards for his cooking. You won’t leave disppointed!
Activity
Best activity goes to the Kendall Yards Night Market. It’s every Wednesday evening from May to September. There’s live music, lots of food trucks and dozens of vendors lining the streets, selling their locally made goods.
Coffee
Finally, best coffee goes to Indaba. It’s on the west side of Kendall Yards. The coffee is phenomenal and smooth, but the kicker? It shares its space with a donut shop! Hello Sugar features amazing, uniquely flavored donuts that won’t disappoint.
Schools
As far as schools go, students in the area typically head to Holmes Elementary, then on to Glover Middle School and North Central High School. For more information on any of these schools, click on the links above.
I have featured dozens of Spokane neighborhoods in the Neighborhood Spotlight series. To see others that have been featured, click here.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Manito/Cannon Hill
We are smack in the middle of highlighting different neighborhoods in and around Spokane. Today were jumping into the gorgeous and historic neighborhood of Manito and Cannon Hill.
Manito Park isn’t just the main area of the neighborhood – it’s the center of the whole South Hill. When residents of the South Hill are asked where they live, the response is typically “west” or “east” of Manito. A little history of the neighborhood:
Manito was originally called Montrose Park. In 1888, the plan was to make it a residential area and a streetcar line was built along Grand Boulevard, but that was as far as it got for several years, as the original developer lost all his money in the depression of 1893.
Many of the homes here were built in the early 1900s. Mature trees line the streets and the homes are each so unique. They all have features that you just can’t recreate anymore! There are plenty of shops and restaurants nearby, and it’s a short 5 minute drive downtown.
Top spots
Restaurant
This one goes to The Scoop. It isn’t your typical “restaurant” but it is amazing and the BEST ice cream in
town! They have a rotating menu that makes their ice cream in-shop using liquid nitrogen. They have unique flavors, such as: white chocolate lavender, cookie butter cookie dough and thai iced tea. I had to go visit again this week – just to make sure my recommendation was still as amazing as it was last month. Strictly for research, of course…
Activity
How could I choose anything except for Manito Park here!? The beautiful gardens, the duck pond and several walking trails…it’s a great place to spend a beautiful spring or summer day. Fun fact: at one time, the park was a zoo. There were monkeys and penguins, bears and various large cats. And you could hand feed all of the animals. Yeah…even the bears. The Great Depression was the demise of the zoo.
Coffee Shop
This one goes to Rockwood Bakery. It’s just across the street from Manito Park and this spot never disappoints. They have great coffee, but even better quiche.
Schools
As far as schools in the area go, there are several elementary schools: Wilson, Hutton, Roosevelt, and Jefferson. Students typically go on to Sacajawea Middle School and then Lewis and Clark High School.
Follow the links of each school above to find more information about those schools.
This is one of the most historic neighborhoods in all of Spokane, but there are many more areas to highlight! Catch the next The Welcome Mat to find out which neighborhood is next.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Indian Trail
We’re in the middle of the Neighborhood Spotlight series – showing off different neighborhoods around Spokane. So the next up in this feature is Indian Trail.
This neighborhood has grown a lot over the last few years, with several new apartment complexes and duplexes going in. It’s about a 20 minute drive northwest of downtown Spokane. If you’re looking for mature trees and plenty of nature, you better check out the Indian Trail neighborhood.
Top Spots
Restaurant
This one goes to JJ’s Tap and Smokehouse. Barbecue is their main fare and the brisket is amazing!
Activity
The best activity is a little north of the neighborhood at Indian Painted Rocks. This gorgeous area is just off of Rutter Parkway. It’s an amazing place to hike, right along the Little Spokane River. Be prepared to see some wildlife too! Birds, deer, bald eagles and more are known to be out and about. The highlight of this area, though, is a rock near the entrance that has the remnants of a Native American painting on it. It’s believe that members of the Spokane tribe created the paintings back in 1750, and they are protected by steel bars now.
Coffee Shop Pizza
I typically do “best coffee shop” in this spot, but there are no local spots in Indian Trail! I mean, Starbucks never fails but that seems like a cop out. So instead I’ll give best pizza! Adelo’s is awesome. Their calzones are super good and they have a really fun, family-friendly trivia night on Friday evenings.
Schools
Depending on where your house is in Indian Trail, students either typically head to Indian Trail or Woodridge Elementary schools, then on to Salk Middle School and either Shadle Park or North Central High School. Click the schools here to find out more about each.
There are a whole lot of awesome neighborhoods in Spokane left to explore! Next time we will head over to the South Hill.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Garland District
A little more than a year ago, I did a Neighborhood Spotlight series showcasing several neighborhoods in and around Spokane. It was so popular that I decided to do it again! Over the next few weeks, we’ll dive in to Indian Trail, Millwood, Shadle, a couple South Hill neighborhoods and more! This week, we’re diving in to the Garland District.
Photo courtesy of KREM
Garland is about a 10 minute drive from downtown Spokane and is easy to identify thanks to anchor spots like the Garland Theater. The main street is an eclectic, hip area dotted with fun shops and restaurants, including: an art studio, a guitar shop, a thrift store, a coffee shop and a couple pubs.
The neighborhood was establish back in 1910, when the street railway system was built. It really grew over the next 40 years, when Ferguson’s Cafe, the Milk Bottle and Garland Theater opened up. All three of which are eligible to be on the Historic Register. A fire destroyed Fergusons and badly damaged the Milk Bottle back in 2011, causing more than a million dollars in damage. Firefighters said it was “human started” but didn’t come out and say arson was the cause.
Garland’s Top Spots
Top Restaurant
This one is a tie. How do you pick between the Milk Bottle and Ferguson’s?! I say, get some lunch at Fergusons and then head next door for a milkshake. The food at Fergusons your typical diner-fare. This spot opened in the 30’s and has been featured in several movies: most famously Vision Quest and Benny and Joon. The Milk Bottle opened shortly thereafter, with its sister location just off I-90 downtown.
Top Activity
My top activity is to grab dinner or a drink at Bon Bon and then heading to the Garland Theater to catch a movie. They are in the same building, making it easy!
Top Coffee Shop
And finally, top coffee shop goes to the Rocket Bakery. There are so many of these in town, but they are SO GOOD. They serve up great coffee with tasty baked goods to go along with it. Hint: get the pink cookie. They’re known for it…for good reason!
Schools
The schools that students in the area usually attend are: Willard Elementary, Glover Middle School, North Central and Shadle High Schools. You can click each school to find out the statistics on those schools.
In the next video, we will head a bit farther north to discover more about the Indian Trail neighborhood. To see past neighborhoods in this series, click here.
Facts about Spokane
Maybe you’ve lived in Spokane your whole life or maybe you’re new to the area and just started to explore this wonderful city. Here are some fun facts and a little history I bet you didn’t know about Spokane.
Birthplace of Father’s Day
Spokane is actually the birthplace of Father’s Day! The very first Father’s Day celebration took place back in June of 1910 at the YMCA. Lyndon Johnson officially proclaimed it a holiday in 1966 and it became a national holiday when signed into law by Richard Nixon 6 years later.
Original name? Spokan Falls
The city originally started as “Spokan Falls” – no “e” in Spokane. It was incorporated back in 1881 and the “e” was added two years later. Ten years later, “falls” was dropped from the name and its just been good ol’ Spokane ever since.
Great Fire of 1889
Have you heard about the Great Fire of 1889? It was a huge fire that took out all of downtown Spokane. The whole thing started at Wolfe’s lunch counter and lodge house – which was near Railroad Avenue and Post Street…that alley behind the Davenport Hotel Parking Garage. It could have been a lantern getting tipped over or as a kitchen fire. It started as a pretty small fire, but due to a problem at the pump station, there was no water pressure in the fire hydrants. In an effort to stop it, the mayor at the time ordered demolition of several dozen buildings. It didn’t help much and the fire just had to run its course until winds died down. In total, 32 blocks of the city were destroyed. It was a bad year for fires in Washington, as Seattle and Ellensburg were also destroyed by fires.
World’s Fair of 1974
Did you know we have the world’s fair of 1974 to thank for our well-known pavillion? At the time Spokane was the smallest city to ever host a World’s Fair, and it brought in about 5 and a half million people to our town. A HUGE revitalization project took place to get the city ready, focusing on the downtown waterfront and pavilion itself.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Cheney
Cheney was established back in the late 1800s, and ties to education, agriculture and rail are what helped the town become what it is. Cheney is mostly known as a college town, since it’s home to Eastern Washington University – but there’s also a huge military population here, since it’s only 7 miles from Fairchild Air Force Base. It’s about a 15 minute drive from Cheney to downtown Spokane, giving way for homeowners looking for a lower than average cost of living and to be surrounded by unique landscape. Nearby is the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, which is 18,000 acres of wildlife and fascinating geology, providing opportunities such as hiking, photography, hunting and fishing.
Top Spots
- Top restaurant: Rokkos Teriyaki. When my husband was going to EWU, it was a must-stop place for us, serving up awesome teriyaki with – if you ask my husband – even better spicy macaroni salad.
- Top activity: There are two this week, depending on the season. In the summer you have to head to the Cheney Rodeo. This 50-year-old tradition is always the second weekend in July. In the fall and winter, Eagle football games are where it’s at. The team has been on a roll for the past 7, 8 years and it’s always a fun time at Roos Field.
- Top coffee shop: The Mason Jar. This bakery is in downtown Cheney, a block down from Rokko’s. They serve up awesome cups of coffee with wonderful, handmade baked goods – using ingredients from local farms.
Schools
The two elementary schools that students in the are usually head to are: Betz or Salnave…then kids head to Cheney Middle School and then on to Cheney High School. Click below to find out the statistics on those schools.
Listings
This gorgeous Victorian house is 2,212 square feet, with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bath. It’s right against a sports complex, giving lots of space and room to play! It’s listed at $264,500.
5 acres. It boasts 5 bedrooms, 4 baths and is 3,900 square feet, with full in-law set up. The deck in the backyard is 700 square feet, giving way for lots of space to entertain.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Eagle Ridge
The Eagle Ridge neighborhood is one of the newest in Spokane, with gorgeous new homes close to Spokane. It’s peaceful without being remote. Eagle Ridge is only five miles from Spokane – but still so close to nature. There’s more than five miles of paved trails in the area, and about 150 acres of forested and preserved land. This neighborhood has absolutely boomed in the last 5 years.
Top Spots
- Top restaurant goes to the amazing Chaps. What started as a little farmhouse has been transformed into one of the best places to get breakfast in Spokane. It’s been featured on Diner’s Drive-ins and Dives as one of the best restaurants in the nation – and Guy Fieri doesn’t travel just anywhere! It’s a great place for brunch on the weekend – and don’t forget to try their famous blueberry french toast: basically a slice of delicious blueberry muffin cake topped with blueberry sauce and blueberry cream cheese.
- After eating all that delicious food, you can work it off at the Eagle Ridge Short Course. There are two courses here: your typically par 3 golf course and a par 3 foot golf course…essentially golf with a soccer ball!
- Okay this might be cheating, but the top coffee shop goes to Chaps too! The restaurant’s full name is actually Chap’s Coffee Company…so you know the coffee is good, too! Just make sure to get a pastry, too…and thank me later.
Schools
Depending on where your house is in Eagle Ridge, students take one of two paths. They will either head to Mullon Road Elementary then on to Sacajawea Middle and Lewis and Clark High School…or they go to Windsor Elementary, onto Westwood Middle and Cheney High School. Follow the links below for more information and statistics on these schools:
Listings
Here are a couple of my favorite listings on the market in Eagle Ridge right now:
This super cute rancher has a great view of the golf course and features a desirable open floor plan. This house boasts 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a full walkout, daylight basement and goes for $287,000.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Liberty Lake
Known for – big surprise here – its gorgeous lake and waterfront properties, Liberty Lake is right on the Idaho border and home to about 8,000 people. Liberty Lake was officially incorporated back in 2001. There are plenty of houses along the lake that were built in the 70s, but a majority of homes in the Liberty Lake area were built in the 90s and early 2000s. Homes are still going up, with lots of new construction happening now. Homes on the lake range from about $300,000 to a $1.5 million+. If you’re hoping to live on the lake, without having a long commute, Liberty Lake is ideal. It’s only about a 20 minute drive to downtown Spokane.
Top Spots
- Top restaurant goes to Hay J’s…hands down. They serve up American fare, featuring seafood and beef. Their seafood chowder is phenomenal!
- And top activity? That goes to Mica Moon Zip Tours. This 2 and a half hour activity starts at the reception area in downtown Liberty Lake. Then you take a shuttle about 15 minutes away to property on Mica Peak, where you’ll ride a UTV, go on two hikes and 8 zip lines. You’ll go through forest glens, across a valley, over a stream, and near moonshine camps where “Mica Moon” moonshine was produced during prohibition.
- Top coffee shop goes to The Well coffeehouse and pub. They feature live music at times and make a mean espresso.
Schools
Students living in Liberty Lake usually head to Liberty Lake Elementary. Then they’re off to Greenacres and Central Valley High School. Follow the links below to get more information about those schools’ statistics:
Favorite Listings
I mean really…does it get much better than this gorgeous 4,200 square foot home!? This breathtaking home nestled on the hillside overlooks Liberty Lake and Mica Peak. It’s a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom home that includes 100+ feet of prime waterfront…because what good is a lake if you can’t play in it!?
Another highlight of Liberty Lake (besides the water) is the immaculate Liberty Lake Golf Course. This impressive home sits right on the 16th hole of the course and is outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows. The home is almost 4,000 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. You won’t miss out on the view of the lake though: both decks have peek-a-boo views of the lake.Neighborhood Spotlight: Perry District
In the last 5 to 10 years, this South Hill neighborhood has become one of Spokane’s hippest, featuring hot restaurants and trendy retailers. This neighborhood was born, if you will, back in the 1920s. But about ten years ago it was given a facelift from the city with new streets and sidewalks. Like a domino effect, multiple new businesses set up shop in the South Perry District, bringing life again to the neighborhood.
Homes in this neighborhood are mostly Craftsman and Victorian-styles, and typically between 15-hundred and 2-thousand square feet…built in the early 1900s.
Top Spots
- Okay, top restaurant was hard to choose this week… so there are two winners. First, goes to South Perry Pizza: home to some of the best pizza in Spokane. This popular lunch and dinner spot is actually in an old laudromat. And the second winner, is Casper Fry (Public House & Eatery), serving up true southern food in the old Altamont Pharmacy building.
- Top activity this week goes to the South Perry Street Fair. Perry street from 9th to 12th Avenues are blocked off and filled with vendors, food and music. It’s held the third Saturday in July every year, MEANING… the 18th annual South Perry Street Fair is tomorrow! I have more info on it in my blog, if you’d like to check it out.
- And top coffee shop goes to The Shop. This neighborhood coffee shop features craft beer, live music and a fun outdoor patio.
Schools
Kids living in the South Petty District typically head to Grant Elementary, Sacajawea Middle and Lewis and Clark High School. Click below to find more information about those schools.
Listings
Here are my favorite listings in the Perry District that are on the market right now:
This home on South Denver Street would be a perfect starter home! It’s an adorable 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom Bungalow with 1,500 square feet for less than $150,000.
This picturesque Craftsman on the 1500 block of 12th Avenue is on the market for $199,900. It also has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, but comes with a whopping 2,500 square feet.
Neighborhood Spotlight: Browne’s Addition
Just south of the Spokane River and west of downtown Spokane, Browne’s Addition was established in the late 1800s. It was the first neighborhood home to Spokane’s elite, and anyone who takes a drive through the neighborhood knows this. Massive, elegant mansions – many of which have now been turned into apartments – line the streets. Perhaps the most notable mansions in the area are the Campbell Mansion, which is neighbors with Spokane’s Museum of Arts and Cultural, and the Patsy Clark Mansion, which is available for private events. Browne’s Addition was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Other than its historic nature, Browne’s Addition is popular with Spokane residents because it’s so accessible. There’s shopping, restaurants, parks and entertainment all within walking distance.
How about the neighborhood’s top spots? Well here are my two cents:
- Top restaurant goes to Italia Trattoria. In my opinion, this is the number one italian restaurant in Spokane. The owners are lovely and no matter if it’s brunch or dinner…the food has always been top notch.
- And top activity for the neighborhood? Well I couldn’t decide, so there’s two. First, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. It’s home to multiple art collections and various traveling exhibits. Second is Elkfest. This music festival is a free, all-weekend event in early June, featuring outdoor beer gardens and food trucks.
- And top coffee shop goes to Cannon Coffee and Cone. Their coffee is wonderful and they feature other local businesses, like Brain Freeze Creamery ice cream and Boots Bakery pastries.
Most children living in Browne’s Addition head to Roosevelt Elementary, then on to Sacajawea Middle and Lewis and Clark High School.
Here are some links where you can find more information about those schools.
There are so many gorgeous listings on the market right now in Browne’s Addition, but here is my favorite on the market right now:
This adorable home on the 2400 block of west 2nd was built back in 1889. It has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, boasting 3600 square feet with original floors and fixtures throughout.
If you’re considering a move into Browne’s Addition or any other amazing neighborhood in Spokane – and there’s a lot of them! – feel free to reach out to me and I’d love to help you out.
