Former Mayor White gets a star

Published 3:01 pm Friday, July 19, 2019

Former Mayor White gets a star
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Former Mayor White gets a star
Former Kent Mayor Jim White and current Mayor Dana Ralph next to the star placed for White on the Kent Station plaza. COURTESY PHOTO, City of Kent
COURTESY PHOTO, City of Kent

Former Kent Mayor Jim White received a star Thursday on the Kent Station plaza outside of the AMC theatre for his role to bring the shopping center to downtown 14 years ago.

White served as mayor from 1994 through 2005. The City Council voted 4-3 in 2004 to sell the city-owned property to Tarragon. A few council members were opposed because the city sold the property to the developer for a lower price than what the city had paid for it a few years earlier. White helped lead negotiations to buy the property from Borden Chemical.

“The star is a celebration of Mayor Jim White’s tireless work in bringing Kent Station to our downtown,” Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said in her weekly newsletter. “He was instrumental in making this happen. His vision to create a wonderful gathering place for the community to enjoy for generations to come has been recognized.”

Kent Station opened in late 2005 and has become a popular gathering spot for shopping, dining, entertainment and personal and professional services.