Spokane, WA
A rendering of the proposed structure. |
After 18 months of negotiations, Downtown Spokane is excited to announce a new 170-story skyscraper development in the heart of Spokane that is set to start construction this June.
In a joint venture between Dubai-based Public Joint Stock Company, Emaar Emirates, and local developer, Leon Throghmyteth, the project will take over six downtown city blocks in the central business district. Inside the mixed use project will house space for 240 office suites, 700 hotel rooms, 14 luxury living lofts, a spa, zoo, and major network production studio. Downtown Spokane cannot confirm at this time which major network will be occupying the 38th floor space and broadcasting nightly newscasts and variety shows, but needless to say, you will be excited.
“A development of this size is something that we could not pass up,” Said Downtown Spokane Partnership President Mark Richard. “We stalled for a little while when it was suggested that the Paulson Building be torn down to accommodate the structure, but in the end, the reward was far greater than the loss of a 106 year-old building. I mean…Saturday Night Live will be filming here!”
Whoops. You didn’t read that. Just ignore it.
No parking structure has been planned for the building, which will house up to 13,000 people, but designs do include a helicopter pad on the roof, which you have to admit is pretty awesome.
Other unique design features include incorporating reflective material on the building’s exterior to ensure energy efficiency. Traffic on the freeway will be shut down between 7:30 and 8:30 in the mornings and 4:30 to 5:30 in the afternoons to prevent accidents from sun-blindness resulting from the sun shining off the building’s exterior. In the subsurface of the building there will be a complex series of secret tunnels accessible to several parts of the city, including the AMC Theater at River Park Square and The Scoop ice cream shop on the South Hill.
“We can’t wait for construction to get started,” said Richard. “It’s going to be a little inconvenient for a while, considering that every business within four blocks of the development will have to relocate to temporary structures in Riverfront Park for a couple of years, but SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE is coming here.”
And in case you didn’t realize it yet….April Fools!