UNITING OUR BUSINESSES, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND COMMUNITY
Creating the foundation to thrive
-
Business Services
Coordinate support for ALL Hillyard businesses to address practical needs and create a welcoming and thriving district.
BENEFITS
• District maintenance & beautification
• Coordinated marketing & promotions
• Technical assistance for business growth
Shared resources to reduce costs
Unified voice with city government
A FRESH APPROACH!
This is an opportunity to unite numerous existing efforts and ensure servvices meet the needs of EVERY business in the district and support new businesses seeking a place in Hillyard.
-
Community Events
Signature gatherings that bring people to Hillyard and showcase our district’s diverse identity.
BENEFITS• Increased customer traffic during events
• Opportunities for ALL businesses to participate
• Building community connections
• Enhanced district reputation
• Create new reasons for people to visit Hillyard
EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES!
Events will be planned with input from the entire community, ensuring they benefit business and community organizations throughout the district.
-
Creative District
A state-certified designation that recognizes Hillyard’s unique cultural assets and creative potential.
BENEFITS
• Increased visibility and marketing
• More visitors and customers
• Access to grants and resources
• Coordinated events to bring neighbors together, showcase Hillyard’s businesses & talent, and drive foot traffic
OPEN TO EVERYONE!
This initiative is just starting to organize and needs representation from ALL parts of the district. Your participation ensures your interests are represented.
Why get involved?
Be part of a district-wide effort open to all businesses and community members.
The initial focus of these efforts is to strengthen and sustain the core Historic Business District as a central point for gathering, highlighting Hillyard's unique identity, and to support and sustain economic activities - including current and future businesses and organizations that want to be in Hillyard. A centralized (and staffed!) alliance will provide organizational structure and a streamlined mechanism for engaging with community organizations, City leaders, and funding opportunities.
For Businesses: Gain visibility, attract new customers, access resources for growth, and be
part of a coordinated marketing effort that drives economic vitality.
For Property Owners: Increase property values, fill vacant spaces, and contribute to
neighborhood revitalization while preserving historic character.
For Economic Development Partners: Support a proven economic development strategy
aligned with THRIVE Spokane that creates jobs, attracts talent, and enhances Spokane's
regional appeal.
For Community Organizations: Connect with resources, expand programming, and engage
diverse populations in meaningful cultural and educational experiences.
For Residents: Enjoy enhanced quality of life, expanded cultural offerings, improved public
spaces, and a stronger sense of community identity and pride.
More Information
About the Organization
-
A Creative District is a state-designated area with concentrated cultural facilities and creative businesses that serves as a collective anchor of public attraction. As defined in RCW 43.46.100,
Creative Districts are designed to:
● Attract artists, creative entrepreneurs, and innovation
● Create economic opportunities and family-wage jobs
● Establish tourism destinations and visitor attractions
● Revitalize communities while preserving historic buildings
● Celebrate and strengthen a community's unique cultural identity
● Support creative workers and businesses
● Strategically fill vacant properties while preserving neighborhood affordability
The Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) provides a five-year certification to communities that meet specific criteria, offering resources, grants, technical assistance, and networking opportunities to help communities achieve their economic and cultural goals.
-
Hillyard Creative District celebrates the intersection of art, food, and cultural history. Where ancestral Native lands and historic rail yards converge, creative entrepreneurs now forge a
vibrant cultural center that honors our diverse past while building our inclusive future.
OUR VISION INCLUDES:
● Celebrating railroad history through thoughtful preservation, interactive exhibits, and cultural trails
● Honoring Native history through public art and community engagement
● Repurposing historic structures as creative spaces for artists, makers, and entrepreneurs
● Fostering a distinctive culinary scene that reflects our region's diverse traditions
● Creating an immersive environment of public art, murals, and cultural experiences
● Building an inclusive community where creativity connects generations and cultures
● Enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities that activate public spaces and connect with nature
● Transforming vacant lots into community gardens, gathering spaces, and green infrastructure
-
The Hillyard Creative District will transform our neighborhood into an authentic, thriving destination where creativity drives economic opportunity, heritage is preserved, and community is strengthened.
-
● Authenticity: Embracing our Native roots, working-class history, and industrial identity
● Community: Building connections across cultures and generations
● Resilience: Adapting and evolving while preserving our unique identity
● Creativity: Supporting artistic expression and entrepreneurial spirit
● Inclusivity: Ensuring everyone belongs in Hillyard's creative future
● Sustainability: Creating green spaces and promoting environmental stewardship
● Accessibility: Designing inclusive spaces for people of all abilities and backgrounds
-
Since July 2024, Hillyard's community leaders, businesses, artists, and residents have come together in an unprecedented collaboration to develop a shared vision for economic revitalization through creative placemaking. This grassroots effort, supported by the Northeast
Public Development Authority and aligned with the THRIVE Spokane economic development strategy, has united diverse stakeholders around a common purpose: transforming Spokane's oldest business district into a certified Creative District that celebrates our unique heritage while fostering new economic opportunities.
Through community gatherings, business forums, and strategic planning sessions, we've documented our existing assets, identified opportunities for growth, and created a roadmap for sustainable development that honors Hillyard's authentic character while embracing creative innovation.
Highlighting Hillyard
-
Hillyard's cultural identity is deeply rooted in its railroad origins, established in 1892 when James J. Hill strategically placed his Great Northern Railroad terminal outside Spokane city limits. For decades, the Great Northern Railroad served as the economic backbone of the community, employing over 1,300 people at its peak in the 1950s and producing some of the world's most powerful steam locomotives.
Prior to railroad development, the land was part of the ancestral territory of the Spokane Tribe of Indians. The iconic Treaty Tree in Hillyard stands as a testament to this earlier history, having once provided shade for a Native American trading post established by Chief Baptiste Peone in the 1840s.
Today, Hillyard's approximately 7,000 residents represent a diverse community that includes significant Ukrainian, Marshallese, Vietnamese, and Russian immigrant populations alongside the majority European-American residents. This multicultural fabric creates a rich tapestry of traditions, foods, arts, and perspectives that distinguish Hillyard from other neighborhoods in Spokane.
Hillyard's natural environment also shapes its identity, with the new Children of the Sun Trail providing connections to outdoor recreation opportunities and offering potential for increased walkability, biking access, and community green spaces. This combination of cultural diversity and natural assets creates unique opportunities for inclusive placemaking that benefits residents and visitors alike.
-
Hillyard boasts a remarkable concentration of creative businesses, cultural assets, and community gathering spaces that provide the foundation for a thriving Creative District:
Culinary Arts & Gathering Spaces
● The United Building shared gathering space
● Crazy Train Eatery
● Bad Seed restaurant with monthly Jazz Night performances
● Red Dragon culinary
● Kismet specialty food establishment
● Derailer Coffee
● Bellwether Brewing
● River City Kitchens - commissary kitchen (coming 2025)
Visual Arts & Production
● KJ Pottery production studio
● Crystal Madsen photography studio
● Green Burro screen printer and design services
● Pigasus Vintage Toys (collectibles)
● Bear Totem creative retail
Personal & Professional Services
● Sayler Owens Kerr (SOK) Architecture Design Studio
● Cooper Creek Landscaping
● Ken’s Barbershop - Hillyard Barber
● 4 Paws Grooming
● Market Street Tattoo - Sells prints, has events and monthly promotions
● Ink’d Creative Minds
● Tattoo Room
● Salon (coming soon)
Performance & Entertainment
● Peacock Dance Studio (coming 2025)
● Live music venues at The United Building
● Party in the Park vendor fair and performances
● Hill House Events Center
● Dance studio in Destination church
Cultural & Historical Activities
● Hillyard Museum
● First locally-listed Historic district
● Hillyard Heritage Park: Railroad history exhibits and interpretation
● Annual events: Hi-jinx Parade (since 1911), Chalk Art Walk
● Cultural celebrations representing diverse communities
Community Engagement & Education
● On-Track Academy creative programs
● Northeast Community Center/ZONE youth/family programming
● Creative workshops and skill-sharing events
-
As we move forward with official Creative District certification, we've identified strategic priorities that will guide our growth and development:
Creative Placemaking & Public Spaces
● Launching an Art Walk program in Summer 2025
● Creating a series of cultural murals, including the first Native mural on the Kehoe building
● Installing artistic bike racks connecting to the Children of the Sun Trail
● Implementing wayfinding signage to enhance district visibility
● Transforming vacant lots into community gardens and gathering spaces
● Creating seasonal outdoor markets and performance venues
● Enhancing walkability and bikeability throughout the district
● Developing green infrastructure and environmentally sustainable spaces
● Launching "First Impressions" initiative for business storefronts (name in development)
Digital & Technology
● Establishing co-working spaces with tech resources
● Developing digital media production capabilities
● Creating a makerspace with fabrication tools
Culinary & Experience Economy
● Developing food truck spaces and outdoor dining
● Supporting artisanal food producers
● Incubating culinary entrepreneurs
Creative Business Development
● Creating artist-in-residence and chef-in-residence programs
● Providing creative business mentorship
● Activating vacant storefronts with pop-up retail
Entertainment & Experience
● Expanding live music venues and performance spaces
● Creating interactive historical exhibits
● Launching cultural festivals celebrating our diverse heritage
-
The Hillyard Creative District initiative directly supports several key goals in the THRIVE Spokane Community Economic Development Strategy (CEDS):
GOAL 1.3
"Invest in the development of downtowns and commercial centers through small business support, residential expansion, and storefront revitalization"GOAL 2.2.3
"Invest in mixed-use projects and smaller-scale projects that bring new urban housing, retail sites, restaurant space, and entertainment space"GOAL 4.2.3:
"Grow the region's creative economy by deepening ties among the public sector, education, and the private sector"GOAL 4.3.0
"Create vibrant and inclusive communities by investing in the resources needed to activate public spaces, support arts and culture, and expand outdoor recreation opportunities for all" -
The Hillyard Creative District is built on strong partnerships across sectors, including:
Government & Economic Development
● Northeast Public Development Authority (NEPDA)
● Washington Department of Transportation
● Mayor's Office
● Spokane Parks Foundation
● Urban Forest Program
Education & Youth Development
● NE Community Center (NECC) and The ZONE
● On-Track Academy and Rogers High School
● Spokane Community College
● Spokane Public Library
Tourism & Regional Development
● Greater Spokane Inc.
● Visit Spokane
Community Groups & Heritage
● Hillyard Neighborhood Council
● Spokane Preservation Advocates
● Hillyard Heritage Museum
Creative Businesses & Artists
● KJ Pottery (local production pottery studio)
● Hillyard Built Photography
● The United Building creative hub
● Bad Seed restaurant (venue for Jazz Night)
● AJ Made With Love (local artist/maker)
● The Green Burro (screen printing and design services)
● Crystal Perry (Hillyard Built - photographer)
● Jaydra Leigh - (Market Street Tattoo) Multimedia, Graphic Design, and Marketing
Cultural & Community Organizations
● Ukrainian American Club of Spokane
● Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington
● Spokane Vietnamese Association
● Slavic Gospel Association (Russian community)
● Spokane Tribe community liaison