The draft ReFIVE Plan will be released in late May 2026 for public feedback and input, after nearly a year and a half of community engagement, partnerships and coordination. The plan and a community survey will be available online for review and feedback through end of July 2026. Feedback received will inform the final recommended plan, which is scheduled to be adopted by City Council by December 2026.
The draft plan focuses on what identity, connectivity, livability, stability and wealth mean for the 5th Avenue community today and in the future. In addition to goals and strategies, the draft plan will present a vision map and concepts to help illustrate what a reimagined 5th Avenue can look and feel like. The draft plan will also propose updates to the land use for the study area based to promote neighborhood serving mixed-uses and expand housing options while ensuring flexibility and adaptability.
View the latest project PPT update below:
East Central Neighborhood Council - May 19th, 2026
We will be at the East Central Neighborhood Council meeting on May 19th, at Liberty Park Library, starting at 5:45pm, where our consultant will be sharing the draft plan goals and strategies, and a preview of visuals for the plan. Drop by and learn about the progress we have made so far!
Plan Commission Workshop - May 27th, 2026
The draft ReFIVE Plan will be released in late May 2026, with a Plan Commission workshop set to happen on May 27th, 2026, at 2:00pm. The agenda and materials are shared in advance on the Plan Commission website.
Save the Date! Virtual Draft Plan Workshop – June 11th, 2026
Join us on Thursday June 11th at 6:00pm for a virtual community workshop for the draft ReFIVE Plan. At this workshop, we’ll introduce the draft ReFive Plan, share key recommendations, and collect community comments to help shape the final document. Check the website for details in advance.
We have been out in the community over the spring, summer and fall visiting schools, parks, and community events! We have an engagement summary below to share themes and community feedback so far. Stay tuned for upcoming events in the Summer 2026! Sign up to receive email updates about this project.
In April 2026, we attended the Multicultural Arts Gala at Frances Scott Elementary School and sought feedback on what kind of improvements the students would like to see on their school yard as part of the community visioning. Each student was asked to cast two votes for the improvements they wanted to see the most. The categories to vote on were:
We attended Spokane's first Black Earth Day celebration on April 18, 2026. The event focused on environmental health, food justice and Black community land stewardship. We shared some of the environmental justice strategies in the draft ReFive plan and asked attendees to share one word on what a healthy East Central looks like. Responses ranged from increased tree canopy cover, more community gardens, to a more walkable and greener neighborhood.
This baseline conditions report underpins a community planning effort for the 5th Avenue community. It provides an exploration of the community profile, as well as keep topics that have emerged through engagement: walkability and connectivity, homeownership, community identity, community wealth building, and restore the land. The report is a foundation that will help establish a community-led framework of goals and policies for future land use, economic growth, connectivity, and quality of life improvements for the 5th Avenue community in the East Central neighborhood.
Do you visit, live, or work in the 5th Avenue area in East Central neighborhood? Share your ideas for the future of the neighborhood in the interactive map!
The City of Spokane, Carl Maxey Center, New Urban Mobility Alliance, and Spokane Public Schools partnered together to host a Minecraft student workshop at Frances Scott Elementary School in June 2025. The two-day workshop brought together 5th graders to reimagine the schoolyard and area around the school. Read the workshop summary “Using Games to Help Students Reclaim Spokane’s Empty Spaces” online.
We shared project updates at the following Plan Commission and City Council meetings:
The City is embarking on a planning process to create the 5th Avenue Community Plan, reflecting the vision and desires of the community with priorities and action steps. The 5th Avenue Community Plan will establish a community-led framework of goals and policies for future land use, economic growth, connectivity, and quality of life improvements for the 5th Avenue community in the East Central neighborhood. The plan will build on the 5th Avenue Initiative and other initiatives and build synergy with ongoing and upcoming public projects from both the City and other external government agencies.
The project began in spring 2025 with early community interviews and building connections along 5th Avenue. Following engagement in Spring and Summer 2025, a draft plan will be developed in Winter 2025 through Spring 2026 with more engagement in Summer 2026. We expect a final plan in Fall 2026 for City Council adoption.
Image by Seva Workshop, Updated May 2026
The study area is located south of I-90 around the 5th Avenue corridor, in the southeast section of the East Central neighborhood. This area includes the historical Black business district and is home to several diverse community organizations that serve both local residents and regional visitor. Key community-based organizations include the Carl Maxey Center, Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center, Spokane Eastside Reunion Association and Fresh Soul Restaurant, and New Developed Nations among other businesses along 5th Avenue. Key destinations include Liberty Park and Underhill Park, Liberty Park Aquatic Center, Liberty Park Public Library, and the Frances L.N. Scott Elementary School, named for the Spokane civil rights leader, educator, and lawyer who grew up in the neighborhood.
The 5th Avenue community is the historic center and cultural hub of the Black community in Spokane and is also home to a growing diversity of residents, including Latino and recent immigrant communities. The City, through its hired consultant team, Seva Workshop, will develop this plan in collaboration with community members over the next 24 months, including those who live, work, visit, and have community connections to the area. The planning process will have a focus on addressing the historic and ongoing impacts of divisive highway infrastructure that has bisected East Central, displaced residents, and isolated the 5th Avenue area to repair damage and bring reconnection and restoration to the community.
This plan is funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) recovery funds received by the City of Spokane in 2021 to keep municipal governments afloat amid the financial crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, City Council passed Ordinance C36163 appropriating some of the ARPA funds solely for subarea planning to increase housing along transportation corridors, with a focus on historically marginalized communities. In 2024, City Council passed a resolution initiating subarea planning in the 5th Avenue Community, which kicked off the process.
This plan will build on current and past planning efforts in the 5th Avenue community and help move vision into action through a cohesive co-design process with community leaders and members.
Sign up to receive email updates about this project:
Maren Murphy
Principal Planner
mmurphy@spokanecity.org
509.625.6737
Della Mutungi
Planner II
dmutungi@spokanecity.org
509.625.6895
In Spokane
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