I certainly do! That building has stood for over 100 years and housed the diocese for 53 years. Originally, the Diocesan Archives were held in the basement. Famed architect Kirtland Cutter designed the building in 1910 and it housed various businesses until 1966 when the Catholic diocese purchased the building (their old building being in the path of I-90).
Cowles Real Estate Company owns the building and stated in an article in The Spokesman Review last August that "with the age of the building, many of the systems are nearing or past the end of their useful life, including the roof, plumbing, electrical, elevator and HVAC."
Here's what I think: Quoting from the website www.whitehousehistory.org:
President Harry S. Truman also had the White House renovated between 1948 and 1952. The White House interior was gutted in an extensive renovation. The original exterior walls remained standing while the interiors were removed and reinstalled within a skeleton of steel structural beams on a new concrete foundation
If, back in 1950, that magnificent structure was totally gutted and updated, why cannot that be done to one of the few really great historic buildings remaining in Spokane???
It was suggested to me that anybody who cares might want to write a letter to Betsy Cowles, c/o The Spokesman Review, 999 W. Riverside, Spokane WA 99201, and explain your thoughts and feelings regarding that 100 year old and most beautiful building.
1 comment:
Both Lewis and Clark and Rogers had the same thing, gutted the interior and left the outside walls standing, both are magnificent today, and safer and able to last a long time.
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