The Spokane Tribe of Indians and an urban design and development studio called Urban Workshop have submitted letters of interest to the city of Spokane proposing cultural center and dense housing uses, respectively, for a 1.1-acre parcel of city-owned land near the Spokane River.

The two letters were the only ones the city parks and recreation department received in response to an inquiry exploring interest in the possible lease and redevelopment of what's known as the Bosch lot, which stretches between Monroe and Lincoln streets north of Bridge Avenue. The property, near the Spokane Falls on the north side of the river, currently is used as an unpaved commercial parking lot for Riverfront Park, adjacent businesses, and city-owned vehicles, and charges monthly, daily, and hourly fees.

The department said in an earlier announcement that it expects to issue a formal request for proposals in February, and that based on the responses to its letters-of-interest request, the Park Board might decide to broaden or narrow the scope of that RFP.

The tribe has been showing interest in the property for some time, regarding the site as part of its aboriginal lands, and acting department director Leroy Eadie says, "We wanted to make sure we weren't missing some other interest out there."

In its letter, the tribe said it has "a very strong and abiding interest" in developing a cultural-interpretive center on the site and believes the center "would be exceptionally compatible and complementary to the current and future plans for Riverfront Park." The letter didn't contain details about the proposed center, but the tribe said it plans to respond to the forthcoming RFQ.

Urban Workshop, of Spokane, proposed using the site for "dense, environmentally conscious (LEED certified), low-rise housing that will contribute to an economically diverse residential base in downtown." It said it envisions the phased construction of 30 to 45 three- to four-story townhouses on the site, each of which would have about 1,500 square feet of floor space. The development would include private rooftop gardens and interior courtyard space, concealed off-street parking, and open light-filled floor plans.

Such a development, it said, would "address the need to make downtown accessible to young professionals and families of moderate income levels," a need identified in a Downtown Spokane Partnership study. "To ensure maximum accessibility to our target demographic, families would enter into a leasehold ownership of market-rate townhouses with specific conditions in regard to resale," it said.

A project of that type would help promote the establishment of a new North Monroe (NoMo) District, attracting more office, retail, and housing opportunities along the Monroe Street corridor, the design studio said. It said the project also would serve a growing desire for a hybrid between mid-rise condominiums and traditional single-family detached homes.

The city hasn't said when it hopes to decide on a possible use for the site.