Green & Beautiful

Looking for ways to increase the curb appeal of your building or streetscapes? Click on the links below for some ideas and resources to build on what the Downtown Business Improvement District already does!

• Click here for information on Downtown street tree replacement and custom tree grates
• Click here to learn about a Downtown window treatment to use in your space
• Click here to see preliminary ideas for Downtown way-finding signage.

 

New Downtown Tree Grates

The new Downtown tree grates have arrived, donning the custom design for Downtown Spokane! The first grate was installed at the Fernwell Building, on the corner of Stevens and Riverside, featuring the landmark Monroe Street Bridge and a sunburst -- both architectural elements originally designed by renowned local architect Kirtland Cutter.

These new custom tree grates are not only an aesthetic improvement surrounding our Downtown trees, but they also provide significantly more access to run-off water and air circulation than the concrete grates surrounding many Downtown trees currently, most remaining from Expo '74. The new grates are manufactured locally by Hern Iron Works in Coeur d'Alene and can be customized with the building name and construction date at a unit cost, resulting in a more cost-effective grate than most off-the-shelf models.    For those interested in ordering a custom tree grate for your Downtown trees,  or if you're looking for more information on Downtown street trees and grants, contact Andrew Rolwes of the DSP at 509.456.0580 or arolwes@downtownspokane.net. 

To download a quick one sheet of custom tree grate information, click here.

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Whose Job Is It?

Not sure who to contact when you've got a broken street lamp, or graffiti on your builiding? We're here to help!

Download a copy of our Whose Job Is It? flier here!

If you have questions regarding streetscape maintenance and management that aren't answered by our Whose Job Is It? diagram, call us at 509.456.0580.

 

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View a Workshop on Downtown Street Trees and the Street Tree Grant Program!

The Downtown Spokane Partnership held a Street Tree workshop to help educate Downtowners on care and maintenance of Downtown's street trees and the street tree grant program, which will reimburse property owners who install street trees in their right-of-way.

Workshop speakers addressed questions, including :

• How do I install a tree irrigation system?
• How do I ensure the health of my street trees?
• How often should my street tree be watered, pruned and fertilized?
• Who can prune my trees?
• How does the tree grant program work and am I eligible?
• What can I do if the tree in my right-of-way is dead?
• What kinds of trees can I plant?
• What do I do with the lighting and electrical outlet in my tree well?
• Can I replace a concrete tree grate with a metal tree grate or no grate at all?

Those who have applied or are considering applying for the street tree grant are encouraged to view the workshop presentation as well as Downtown property owners and anyone interested in Downtown street trees.

Download the June 23 Street Tree Grant Workshop presentation

For more information call Andrew at 509.456.0580 x 109 or email arolwes@downtownspokane.net.

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Did you know*...

• Large canopy street trees help reduce building cooling costs and extend the life of asphalt and pavement.
• Street trees cool and shade Downtown's sidewalks, encouraging shoppers to stay longer.
• Large street trees create a strong "sense-of-place," soften the urban landscape, and are a competitive advantage for Downtown.
• Street trees positively influence the distance people are willing to travel to shop in Downtown.

*Wolf, K. “The Environmental Psychology of Shopping” ICSC Research Review, Vol. 14, No. 3, 2007 pp39-43

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More Street Tree Research*:

• For well streetscaped trees in a business district, participants in multiple surveys indicated they are willing to:

  • Travel further

  • Pay more for parking

  • Stay longer

• Research indicates people prefer natural views to man-made views, and participants had strong preferences for tree-lined streets.

• Large, well-tended trees receive highest preference ratings

• Consumers in the survey, claimed they were willing to pay 9% more in small cities and 12% more in large cities for equivalent goods and services in business districts with an urban forest.

Pricing Comparisons for Products
	Large Cities		Small Cities
Products Category	No Trees	With Trees	No Trees	With Trees
Convenience	$8.98	$13.78	$5.93	$7.48
Shopping	$33.52	$47.36	$69.42	$92.22
Specialty	$51.88	$73.24	$63.96	$74.32

*Information from the review: The Environmental Psycology of Shopping: Assessing the Value of Trees (Wolf, 'The Environmental Psychology of Shopping', ICSC Research Review Vol 14, No. 3 2007)

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If you have questions about Downtown street trees, please contact Andrew Rolwes at 509-456-0580 ext. 109 or arolwes@downtownspokane.net.