Noted Spokane developer Wendell Reugh dies at 86

Wendell Reugh, a prominent Spokane property owner and developer, died Sunday at age 86.

Reugh rose from an office equipment salesman to residential contractor to major building owner through the course of his life. A cause of death was not given.

Born on July 21, 1928, in Rochester, New York, Reugh moved to Spokane as a boy with his family, attending Wilson Elementary and Lewis and Clark High School. He went on to Washington State University and served in the U.S. Navy.

In 1970, Reugh was elected president of the Spokane Homebuilders Association and served alongside developer and property owner Harlan Douglass, who became a close friend.

Reugh gained a high profile about a decade ago for his dealings over the redevelopment of nearly a full city block at Howard Street and Riverside Avenue, which once held several historical buildings.

Reugh had them demolished despite efforts by city officials and preservationists to save the 1934 Rookery, the 1915 Mohawk and 1890 Merton Block buildings among others.

Developer Ron Wells said he tried to negotiate a deal to renovate the Rookery and Mohawk buildings for condominiums, but Reugh raised the price in the middle of discussions, making the deal financially unfeasible.

The City Council and former Mayor Dennis Hession stepped into the fray and attempted to negotiate a deal to save the Rookery and Mohawk buildings after the Merton Block had been razed in 2004 along with smaller structures on Sprague Avenue.

Members of the Spokane Preservation Advocates staged street demonstrations in front of the buildings, including one in 2005 that drew 100 people.

The Rookery, an art deco building, and the Mohawk, a good example of Chicago School architecture, came down in November 2006. Reugh started demolition in 2005, but stopped the wrecking ball when Hession intervened.

For years, Reugh had been unsuccessful in a plan to replace the historic buildings with an office tower, potential transit center and public market. The Plaza transit center was later built at Riverside and Wall Street.

“I couldn’t help but like him,” Wells said of Reugh’s affable personality, but Reugh made it “practically impossible to buy that block.”

He said in retrospect that Reugh did him a favor by raising the price, which thwarted the deal, because selling some 205 condos would have turned out a money loser back then. Today, restoration for apartments would pencil out, Wells said.

Hession, who sided with preservationists, said Reugh was “a hard-nosed negotiator businessman.”

The former mayor at the time predicted that once the buildings were gone, the land would be nothing more than a surface parking lot for at least 20 years. “It has a nice wall around it,” Hession said.

Despite his tough business practices, Reugh had a soft side, donating to charities and being involved in community organizations such as the El Katif Shriners.

He is survived by sons Mark and Jim Reugh, daughter JoLynn Kovalsky, longtime companion Dorene Decker, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His wife, Mary Ann Reugh, died in 1996.

A memorial service has been set for 11 a.m. April 3 at Central United Methodist Church, 518 W. Third Ave.

Hennessy Funeral Home and Crematory, 2203 N. Division St., is in charge of arrangements.

Family members asked that contributions be made to the Shriners Hospital for Children, Second Harvest Food Bank or another charity in lieu of flowers.