(The Center Square) – Councilmember Jonathan Bingle held a press conference on Monday, apologizing on behalf of Spokane following the announcement that Zona Blanca, an upscale restaurant, would close after being broken into 20 times.
Celebrity chef Chad White announced the upcoming closure of his Zona Blanca Ceviche Bar last week. In his announcement to Facebook, White cited increasing crime, open-air drug use and property damage as the key factors in his decision to close the location after eight years.
In an interview with The Spokesman-Review, White said his restaurant has been broken into more than 20 times, with two being as recent as this month. Zona Blanca will close officially on Sept. 29.
“To our elected officials, I humbly ask you to recognize the urgency of what’s happening in our downtown,” White wrote on Facebook. “If someone like me, who has been fortunate enough to gain national acclaim and enjoy immense support from this community, is struggling this hard to keep my doors open, I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like for those who don’t have the same privileges.”
Following the announcement, the local business community called on their elected officials to host a press conference to apologize. While a few tuned into an informal email thread to make their voices heard, only Bingle rose and publicly apologized at the event.
Sheldon Jackson, chief executive officer of Selkirk Development, told The Center Square that he asked the rest of the city council, Mayor Lisa Brown, and Police Chief Kevin Hall to attend the event five or six times without any luck.
The Center Square contacted Communications Director Erin Hut, asking if Brown would attend the press conference, but did not receive a response. However, former Mayor Nadine Woodward did attend the event despite losing the election to Brown last November.
“First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the frustration and the hardship and the worry that many of you have been experiencing for far too long,” Bingle said. “We have watched our city drift towards disorder, and for that, I want to apologize. We, as your elected leaders, have not done enough to enforce and support the laws that are meant to protect the community.”
Bingle said a trend of bad policy decisions in Spokane, around the state and nationwide is cultivating a sense of lawlessness. The local business owners’ struggles are personal to him, and Bingle said he is committed to protecting and defending their livelihoods.
“This cannot be the Spokane that we accept,” he said. “To all of you, let me be clear: This city’s leadership, myself included, must do better.”
White also spoke at the press conference and said he’s done sitting back while the city takes a turn for the worse. Whether Zona Blanca is open or not, he said it’s time to stand up for the rest of the community.
“I became very numb to what has gone on around our business,” White said. “I’ve walked past things I should’ve never walked past because I just got used to it. I didn’t call things in because it was just the ‘norm.’ I’m not doing that anymore.”
Bingle called on the rest of city leadership and the Spokane Police Department to enforce the law, especially regarding public drug use and illegal camping. He said those crimes are leading Spokane down a path that could spiral into chaos, as seen in Seattle.
“With the proper leadership, Spokane can step into her full potential,” Bingle said. “When we restore order, enforce the law, and clean up our streets, Spokane will flourish.”
