ISSUE 85 | NOVEMBER 2018
WITH COLDWELL BANKER TOMLINSON
THE M: HOLDING A MIRROR TO LIFE ASPIRATIONS. Architecture is the three-dimensional image of a society’s values. Whether one looks at the temples of Abu Simbel, the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome or the Empire State Building, one sees the needs and aspirations of the cultures that produced them.
THE CHRONICLE. One need not have the Taj Mahal in one’s backyard to see this principle at work. Consider two examples in downtown Spokane: The Chronicle Building, designed by Kirtland Cutter and G.A. Pehrson and completed in 1928, and the Macy’s Building, a composite of three structures completed between 1914 and 1957. One was the noble emblem of a newspaper industry that provided information to the American public for 250 years, the other, a monument to the period in which everyone dressed up to go downtown to fill their closets, furnish their homes and fulfill practically all social functions that required the expenditure of money.
CULTURAL ASSETS. Almost in sync with each other, the newspaper and retail industries declined or morphed into shapes that would have been incomprehensible in 1960. It was natural, then, that both Spokane landmarks changed from thriving centers of commerce to dusty, shuttered structures housing only memories. At the same time, however, another massive trend was shifting. Rather than fleeing the downtown core for life in the suburbs, people became aware of the benefits of living in close proximity to commercial and cultural assets, and to one another.
Submitted by Larry Lapidus
Thus, the Chronicle Building and the Macy’s Building, both owned by the Cowles Family’s Centennial Properties, have become The Chronicle Apartments and The M Apartments.
URBAN LIVING. A guided tour of “The M” led by Construction Superintendent Justin Olney, of Walker Construction, which is responsible for every stage of the massive redevelopment of The M Apartments, provided a view of the most advanced thinking on urban living. Bedrooms provide just that: room for a bed, not a temple of luxury in which one can not only sleep, but work, eat and bathe without having to confront another human being. The bulk of square footage is devoted to living spaces. Kitchens are open to dining areas, which in turn spill into living rooms and decks, all of which are surrounded by views of the city. It is as though one is being urged to get off one’s duff and join the human race. Beyond that, thousands of square feet that could be returning a profit as apartments are devoted instead to centers of communal activity: meeting rooms, gyms, spas, and, finally, a huge, dramatic top-floor deck, replete with discrete sitting areas, barbecues and fire pits. DESIGN. Within the apartments, design reflects today’s preference for clean lines and bright, open spaces. One will search in vain for the carved cornices and leering gargoyles of The Davenport Hotel. All is granite slab, fine-grain hardwood and pale grey surfaces. If you fancy bright colors, bring your own flowers.