[Vision2020] Alturas again

B. J. Swanson bjswan@moscow.com
Sun, 21 Sep 2003 19:52:43 -0700


Tim & John,

The Alturas Park zoning is RTO:  Research, Technology, Office.  It is not
and has never been only Research and Technology.  The original intent of
Alturas Park was to diversify the economic base of Moscow and provide living
wage jobs that were not directly dependent on the University of Idaho or
Washington State University (also tax supported entities).  Alturas has done
that.

It would have been ideal for a private investor to develop Alturas.  We
tried for four years to find a private investor to do it without any takers.
Diversifying the economy of a one industry town is very difficult at best
and takes years of work.  A much longer timeframe than any private investor
was willing to take.  Alturas was a long-term investment in jobs.  It
succeeded on a limited scale but probably not to the point any private
investor would be willing to step in and buy it even now.  Private investors
and developers don't seem to be beating down the door.  Private investment
in jobs didn't happen in Pullman or Lewiston either so they are doing or
have done similar projects.  Think of where Schweitzer Engineering started.
Would you prefer that Alturas was not there and those jobs would have gone
to Pullman, Lewiston or beyond?

The few businesses that relocated out of downtown would have relocated
elsewhere anyway because of parking.   The 80+ jobs at Alturas and $3.5
million in annual salaries probably support the downtown merchants more than
an attorney or accountant leasing office space on Main Street.  We have a
great downtown (see the Tribune today) and it's the jobs and salaries of
local people that sustain it.

B. J. Swanson