Chapter2 : Browne's Addition: A Mirror of Spokane Neighborhood Identity

   The ups and downs in the history of Spokane's Browne's Addition often mirrors the ups and downs of the city as a whole over the years. This chapter reflects on that history and concludes by identifying some current trends in the district. These developments both positive and negative, may well reflect what Spokane in general may be facing as it enters the twenty-first century.
    Spokane's most exclusive neighborhood during the early 1900s, some 60 percent of Browne 's Addition residents were considered low-income according to the 1990 U.S. Census. And currently, approximately 90 percent are renters. This reflects the tendency towards "flight" from the centers of cities in general brought about by two factors affecting American city form in the twentieth century: the proliferation of the automobile and, after World War II, the lure of life in "the suburbs."
    But as the twenty-first century dawns, some elements point to a possible renaissance in Browne's Addition. In the late 1900s, the very decay of the district motivated the creation of neighborhood groups focused on renewal. Browne's Addition earned registration as a National Historic District in 1975 - although, as of this writing in the Fall 2002, it is still not recognized as a Local Historic District by the City of Spokane's Historic Preservation Office. This fact in itself is a reflection of the larger reality that is Spokane at the turn of the twenty-first century. On the one hand there are pockets of urban renewal and cases of largely individual interest in historic preservation and adaptive re-use. On the other hand, here is an inability, on a communal scale to move the city towards a respect for these themes, and capturing that respect in policies that can influence if not regulate, the endurance of a historic ambiance (for instance) in the built environment of Browne's Addition. While status as a National Historic District is largely honorific, recognition as a Local Historic District requires the consent of a minimum of 51 percent of the district's property owners. This is a challenge in a district largely comprised of renters, living in properties largely owned by non-resident landlords.
    Thus, today a wide range of individuals actively involved in the urban life of Spokane, whether by choice or necessity, live in Browne's Addition. The district's residential quality and proximity to downtown has made Browne's Addition one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Spokane, in terms of both racial and economic diversity. At the higher economic levels, the district's history and old-time appeal offer a cultured urban setting in which to live. At the other end of the spectrum, Browne's Addition has an abundance of low and moderately priced rental units, many of which reflect none of the historical character of the district, housing a population only minimally invested in the welfare of the neighborhood. Mary Olsen, an active resident of Browne's Addition since she and her husband purchased and restored the old Dillingham Mansion on West Riverside Avenue in 1993, likens the district as a kind of urban village. "Within the bounds of a few blocks, there is a supermarket (Rosauer's), a bank, shops, dentist, great restaurants, a park, and a museum." This of course, is a positive view. More negative readings of the district are also possible. At the turn of the twenty-first century, the question is which kind of "reading" will prevail in the years ahead for Browne's Addition. And this mirrors a question for Spokane as a whole.