Focusing on the center

POST FALLS - Talking about how Post Falls needs a lively city center is one thing. Getting there has been another.

City and urban renewal officials are dusting off the City Center Urban Renewal District book that in 2005 defined projects aimed at creating economic development for a downtown area.

The boards are assessing whether the pump has been primed enough with past and current projects, if priorities from nine years ago should be reshuffled or if the district should close before its slated 2018 end.

During a joint workshop on Tuesday, opinions were widespread on the future of the district.

"Let's examine existing districts and look at what's been done," said Len Crosby, urban renewal commissioner. "Some projects may not make sense in today's economy.

Where we can't get job creation, maybe we should shut a district down or create a new one (in a different location)."

New traffic signals at Fourth and Spokane that are expected to be operating within two weeks are the first step in a revitalization project for Spokane Street this year. But officials wonder what projects - if any - should come afterward.

Representatives of both boards were asked to prioritize projects on the list created in 2005.

"This is a completely different economy, so much has changed," said Samantha Babich, an urban renewal commissioner.

Post Falls has prided itself on focusing hard-core urban renewal missions such as job creation, cleaning up blight and funding infrastructure projects to create building activity.

In most urban renewal districts, a proponent or developer will use its own funds to install public infrastructure.

The incremental taxes that are paid based on the higher assessed values after development are remitted to the URA and are, in turn, paid back to the proponent/developer for cost reimbursement for such infrastructure.

The URA is discussing the merits of moving ahead with a "demonstration project" - among the projects in the city center plan. The URA would lease property and/or a building to a tenant to spur development in the Spokane Street corridor. The current French Cleaners site at Fourth and Spokane has been discussed for such a project.

But some officials aren't sold on the demonstration project idea.

City council member Skip Hissong said infrastructure in the multi-use Post Falls Landing development along the Spokane River was funded by urban renewal, but there has been no activity to show for it.

"That's our demonstration project," Hissong said. "We've done it, and it's not working."

Hissong said creating opportunities for companies that offer good-paying jobs should remain urban renewal's focus, not owning or managing real estate.

"I'm not opposed to another McDonald's, but those jobs will happen whether we give them incentives or not," he said.

City council member Joe Malloy said for urban renewal to lease a building or property is a "dangerous path" that could stray from the agency's core mission of creating jobs.

"Just because we have the power to do something doesn't mean we should do it," Malloy said.

Along with the Post Falls Landing improvements, projects have been completed on Fourth and other city center streets and along the Centennial Trail. City hall, the chamber of commerce, city entrance waterfall features and some medical buildings have sprouted up in the district.

But, with limited job creation as a result of the district, some wonder if closing the district early in the name of taxpayer relief is the best option.

"Urban renewal should support living-wage jobs," Crosby said.