2009 Mayor's Urban Design Award Winner

Design Review Board Special Recognition

Creative Citizen

Person or group whose work has enhanced Spokane's urban fabric.

Downtown Spokane Partnership

Creative Citizen Award

Downtown Spokane Partnership

Person or group whose work has enhanced Spokane’s urban fabric.

The Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP) is a private, non-profit membership organization established in 1995. The DSP has significantly improved Downtown’s quality and vitality by advocating for public policies, business and project development, quality planning, physical improvement projects, beautification and marketing programs. Since the 1999 Plan for a New Downtown, $3.7 billion of new investment in over 800 public/private projects have revitalized Downtown.

Examples of the variety of projects the group has either led or supported include: Planning: Charting the Future: Plan for a New Downtown, 1999; Downtown Parking Demand Study, 2005; Great Spokane River Gorge Master Plan, 2005; Streetcar Feasibility Study, 2006; Fast Forward Spokane: Downtown Plan Update, 2008; University District Housing Study, 2009. The DSP also participated in the University District / Downtown Transportation Study, 2008; Riverpoint Campus Master Plan, 2009, and Northbank Plan, 2009.

Public Policy and Advocacy: Each year the DSP participates with the community in development of a legislative agenda of important capital projects and legislative issues to take to Olympia and Washington, DC. The DSP also participated in the stakeholder processes for the City's Transportation Impact Fees, Height Regulations, and Panhandling Sit and Lie Ordinance, Affordable Housing Task Force and Regional Affordable Housing Board.

Downtown Public Services: The DSP maintains and promotes a clean, safe and accessible Downtown by managing the Business Improvement District, including the Security Ambassadors and Clean Team programs - patrolling 25,000 miles and removing 12,000 sacks of litter and 3,500 graffiti pieces annually.

Downtown Public Amenities:  Public art, street banners/decor, new flower planters and new litter and recycling receptacles.

The Design Review Committee acknowledges the contributions of the many talented and dedicated individuals who have played a part in the organization. Collectively, they were a catalyst for Downtown’s recent renaissance and helped pave the way for some of the best designed and most creative projects in the core of Spokane’s urban fabric. It’s also important to note that the Downtown Spokane Partnership serves as a model of positive communication and collaboration. The group has been instrumental in bringing people together who may not otherwise meet to work toward common goals for the betterment of the community. This has resulted in accomplishments far greater than could typically be achieved by any individual.