Steam Plant Grill

Steam Plant Grill/Stacks Restaurant

Steel i beam and iron railing in the foreground. The view looks over an open courtyard. A metal staircase is on the left. The center shows the entrance of the restaurant. It is flanked by I beams and glass.What do you do with a structure that has been part of the landscape for many years; but has outlived its original purpose?  With a little creativity, cooperation, and collaboration, you can do a lot.

The Steam Plant Kitchen & Brewery is part of a successful adaptive reuse and renovation project in downtown Spokane. According to the Steam Plant website, Washington Water Power shut down the Central Steam Plant in downtown Spokane in 1986. This historic landmark sat empty for 10 years.

In 1996, Washington Water Power formed the Steam Plant Square LLC, and partnered with Wells and Company, Spokane, WA to put together a team to renovate the former steam plant. The project was expanded to include other buildings. The end result is a smart collection of restaurant, brewery, office space, and retail shops.

Steel I beam in the foreground. The picture looks across the interior of the building into 3 floors of the plant, each surrounded by iron railings. The lower floor shows liquor bottles in the bar. The middle floor shows restaurant tables and booths. The top floor view is of a white wall with 3 dark, round objects on the left and a dark plaque on the right.

I first visited the Steam Plant Kitchen & Brewery, in 2011, when it was called the Steam Plant Grill and later when it was called Stacks Restaurant. The food was excellent and the staff professional and friendly. While the restaurant has changed hands and names, the project continues to provide a unique dining and retail space for Spokane.  Read more about the project at: http://steamplantspokane.com/, or stop in for a unique dining venue.

Before demolishing a structure, try visiting the Steam Plant Square and other successful renovation projects to see the possibilities.

 

Updated: September 24, 2022

One Comment

  1. Steam Plant Square is a positive reflection on the community. Congratulations to those who made it happen.

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