Developments in Spokane’s University District moving along

We are proud to call Spokane’s University District our neighborhood. It’s an area that is ripe for growth and innovation. It features six universities and colleges, private businesses, startups and recreation.

And it’s not done growing just yet.

Here are some latest developments that we are excited about:

University District Gateway Bridge
Funding for the bridge has been finalized, and this project is expected to be complete in the next few years.

This bridge will serve not only as a gateway to the U-District, but our campus as well. It will open up opportunities for private development (housing, mixed-use, businesses, etc.) on the south side of the U-District. It will provide for easier access to campus for those that ride their bikes or walk. It will also make for easier access to health care providers on the lower south hill, so WSU Spokane students can easily make their way from campus to any clinical duties they may have.

Spokane Teaching Health Clinic
Construction on the clinic is moving along (pictured at top), and it is scheduled to be open by next summer.

The clinic is the result of a collaboration among WSU Spokane, Providence Health Care and Empire Health Foundation. It will be open to the public and will allow our health sciences students to gain experience on campus in an inter-professional manner. Medical residents will also work in the clinic, and our work to secure more residency positions is ongoing.

Division Street Triangle
Earlier this year, we told you about a project that we contributed funds to that would beautify the triangle piece of land where Division Street splits by the Spokane Convention Center.

That project completed last week and now when you’re driving north on Division, you’ll see a nice, welcoming gateway to our neighborhood. While this project isn’t on as big a scale as the gateway bridge or the teaching health clinic, its impact is just as notable. By simply making an area look nice, we are enhancing the visitor experience, which could lead someone to relocate here, go to school here, etc.

Before:

After:

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These are just three projects happening in the U-District. There are many more, including two private housing developments currently under construction on the west and east ends of Gonzaga University, our search for a developer to work on the Jensen-Byrd building, the second phase of the construction of Martin Luther King Jr. Way and much more. All of them impact those living, working and studying in the U-District.