Bike path, expanded retail highlight plan update

Proposed updates to Whitefish’s Downtown Master Plan range from expanding retail shopping to a total reconfiguration of Spokane Avenue with a protected bike path.

Planners from the Portland-based Crandall Arambula consulting firm hosted a meeting Nov. 19 to discuss their suggestions and gather public feedback. The firm drafted the original 2005 downtown plan and were contracted last year to update the document.

Crandall Arambula presented the draft update in March, but councilors requested additional refinements this summer to address some areas of concern. The firm plans to have a final draft update prepared by January for council's review.

The latest plan update keeps Spokane Avenue as the main urban highway for northbound traffic through Whitefish.

Crandall Arambula suggested a few alternatives for reconstruction of Spokane to add a protected bike and pedestrian path.

One possibility suggested in a 2010 urban corridor study includes expanding the roadway to two northbound lanes and a single southbound lane.

“This creates a bottleneck at Second Street,” Arambula said. “You’re going from three lanes to two lanes [on Second]. We question the wisdom of that.”

A bike path would be painted onto the road and most of the trees would be removed in this scenario.

The firm’s preferred option is to keep Spokane as two lanes, remove the on-street parking and add a protected bike path on the east side away from traffic.

This scenario keeps nearly all of the mature trees.

“We think it’s important to protect the trees,” Arambula said, noting that it adds to the historic character of the neighborhood.

At the intersection of Spokane and Second Street, the planners are suggesting the proposed hotel for Block 46 be pushed back from the street to allow the bike path to continue through. They noted this would likely require some type of easement on the property.

The bike path would then go north to the middle school where the firm is suggesting some of the on-street parking be removed for safety concerns.

From the school, the path would go around Depot Park past the depot and through BNSF Railway property to an underpass below the viaduct.

The firm says it could be a challenge to get an easement from BNSF, so an alternative route takes the bike path through Depot Park and onto O’Shaughnessy Center property before heading to the underpass.

A benefit of going through the park is that it would provide handicap access that currently doesn’t exist, Arambula said.

He acknowledged it would be a “heroic effort” to get the underpass built, but it would allow for the bike path to connect to the already established trail system.

Revamping the viaduct to allow for a wider bike path with street lights and planters also is suggested.

“The viaduct now is pretty hard-boiled,” Arambula said.

He described it as having “prison fencing” and narrow sidewalks.

“You could move the concrete barriers to expand the trail and narrow the travel lanes,” he said. “It’s a fairly easy fix.”

Expanding retail opportunities from Central Avenue into the Railway District is a main emphasis in the plan update.

Crandall Arambula is suggesting reconstruction of First Street to mimic the style of curbs and widened sidewalks of Central to lure shoppers into the neighborhood.

Their most aggressive option includes widened traffic lanes, expanding sidewalks and adding angled parking.

The firm envisions new retail development at three locations.

They suggest revamping Block 26, which currently includes the VFW, an apartment complex and the Naked Noodle restaurant.

Retail could go up along the north side of First Street. A retail anchor, such as a major grocery store, could occupy the entire north side of the block, along with parking.

While a large grocery doesn’t fit with the current “big box” zoning standards downtown, Arambula said it would be a major benefit for the future development of downtown.

Councilor Richard Hildner questioned whether a major grocery could coexist with Markus Foods across the road.

Arambula said Markus could relocate or do a different type of store.

“These are just suggestions,” George Crandall reminded the audience.

Also suggested is redevelopment of the block which includes Glacier Sotheby’s, Soroptimist Thrift Haus, condos and the American Bank parking lot.

The firm envisions new retail at street level on First Street and a possible redevelopment of the condo site.

On the east side of Baker Avenue, the firm sees potential in redeveloping Block 27, which includes the Markus Foods shopping center, Craggy Range and the adjacent parking lot.

One alternative includes new retail on the north side of First Street and development of the vacant lot, while keeping Markus Foods as is.

A more aggressive alternative suggests a boutique hotel that would take up nearly the entire block expect for the Great Northern Brewing Co. facility.

One audience member questioned the amount of large retail space proposed, noting the potential loss of historic and “quaint” buildings in town.

Crandall said they don’t want to see “inappropriate” developments in downtown, but that large spaces can work.

Arambula noted that the community is growing and with it a demand for more retail space.

“The community is not frozen in time,” he said. “The city needs to make hard choices. Do you want to be like every other place where strip commercial is OK?”

“These are policy decisions cities struggles with — where to have retail. We know healthy downtowns try to concentrate retail downtown.”