As for its office market, Turner says, "Spokane has not experienced any significant negative events like the decline of dot-coms." While the area had felt left out when it failed to draw dot-com companies, Turner's perspective now is more that of a passenger that missed the sailing of the Titanic.

To bring order to rampant helter-skelter growth, after more than six years of work, the City of Spokane was successful this past Monday night in adopting its Comprehensive Plan. Ken Pelton, Spokane's chief planner, tells GlobeSt.com the model promotes growth in 17 designated centers and corridors, including downtown.

"The plan encourages development in areas where there is already adequate infrastructure and encourages intensive fill in those designated areas," he says. In concept, Spokane is looking to direct the development of clusters of urban-village type neighborhoods. Says Pelton of the plan, "It will provide more opportunity for people to live, work and shop in the same area. They will be able to make more use of public transportation and reduce demand on the arterial street system."

As for future commercial development, all pre-existing commercial zoning was maintained citywide. While it supports commercial growth, the city would like to see developers focus on the plan's designated areas. Details of the Comprehensive Plan, complete with detailed maps, is available on the city's Web site, www.spokanecity.org.