SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane’s historic Hillyard neighborhood is embracing a new era as it officially claims the title of Spokane County’s first creative district!
The designation, granted by the State Arts Commission, opens access to grants and gives local businesses hope that the recognition will attract more visitors to the neighborhood that has been experiencing momentum over the past several years.
“There’s a lot of change coming in the last couple of years, really the last 4 or 5 years. You can really feel the momentum coming back to Hillyard,” said William Burris, owner of Red Dragon restaurant, who has watched the neighborhood begin to flourish from his restaurant window.
Burris believes the creative district status will bring more foot traffic to local businesses.
“I kind of see it as an advertisement for the neighborhood,” Burris said. “A rising tide lifts all boats. So, the more businesses and the more restaurants and the more cafes and the more donut shops or anything that will take the chance to move up here, the better.”
The creative district designation comes as community leaders work to transform Hillyard into a more pedestrian-friendly commercial corridor.
Jesse Bank, executive director of Northeast Public Development Authority, said his team is developing a sub-area plan to help reimagine the neighborhood’s design.
“This is a commercial corridor. It wants to be a pedestrian zone,” Bank said.
The plan aims to reduce traffic while encouraging businesses to create outdoor spaces that would establish Hillyard as a destination rather than a pass-through area.
“Then some of these businesses can start to think about things like parklets out in the street and some cafe seating, those sorts of things that really kind of cement this as a commercial district, rather than just a place that people drive through,” Bank said.
Spokane County’s new creative district will celebrate its designation with a public launch event on September 19.
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