History is what ties us to the past; in the case of the Steam Plant Square building, that tie is strong, dating to before the turn of the 19th century. Read the history below to gain a sense of our proud history.
In the
Beginning
The Origins of Central Steam Plant
Today's Trio
History
In
the beginning...
For over 120 years,
downtown Spokane has faced the challenge of revitalization. Capitalizing
on the wealth of the land, the population grew through the 1880's as railways
pushed the frontier to new markets.
The fire of 1889,
which destroyed 32 blocks of downtown, rallied citizens to build with
brick, stone and terra cotta. A year after the devastating fire, the Seehorn-Lang
building was built and used as a warehouse and freight building. Today
it serves as the gateway into Steam Plant Square for pedestrians entering
from Lincoln Street--which is minutes from Interstate 90.
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The Origins of Central Steam Plant
In 1915, twenty-five years after the Seehorn-Lang building's completion, the Merchants Central Heating Company began to build the Central Steam Plant. In 1916, the steam plant was sold to Spokane, Heat, Light and Power Company. Almost immediately, however, the company suffered large operating losses and was placed in receivership within 2 years.
In
April, 1919, Washington Water Power (WWP) purchased the steam plant, from
receivership, to produce steam heat and electrical power. Soon thereafter
WWP formed Spokane Central Heating Company. Spokane Central 
Heating
Company operated it independently until 1939 when it became part of the
WWP Spokane Division. WWP is now recognized as Avista
Corp.
The steam heat produced from the plant served downtown Spokane until 1986. During its operation, fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and saw dust were used to produce from 150,000 to 370,000 pounds of steam per hour. In 1986, it was determined that the plant was no longer economically viable, for much of the internal piping needed substantial repair or replacement.
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Todays's Trio
The three structures that comprise today's Steam Plant Square are the Central Steam Plant, Seehorn-Lang and Courtyard Buildings. The Courtyard is a newer structure. Construction began in 1996. It connects these historic buildings that are now listed on the National, Washington and Spokane Registers of Historic Places.
The recognized history of the Seehorn-Lang and Central Steam Plant adds a nostalgia to the technologically advanced infrastructure that meets the demands of today's businesses.
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Copyright © 1999 Steam
Plant Square, L.L.C.
For questions regarding this site, contact annette.long@avistacorp.com
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