Urban Renewal Plan Paves Way For Coeur D’Alene Building Project

One nervous voice at the microphone at the urban renewal hearing in Coeur d’Alene last week said, “If you approve this plan, I will build an office building on Northwest Boulevard beside the Spokesman-Review building.”

That was about it. The City Council members had no questions, and the young, tall, blond man sat down.

The urban renewal plan was, of course, approved unanimously, which was somewhat of a surprise to many.

Tom Torgensen, a broker with Century 21-John Beutler Realty, intends to stick to his word and build a 6,000-square-foot, two-story building on a skinny half acre he owns between the S-R Building and Idaho Independent Bank.

Designed by architect Mark Young of Hayden, the brick-accented, reflective glass facility is 99 percent certain, Torgersen said.

It will house one real estate-related tenant with about 30 employees. A 250-square-foot office space remains available. Groundbreaking is planned in March, and completion in late July.

A Coeur d’Alene native, Torgensen was graduated from the University of Idaho in accounting.

Freshness, quality ingredients and free pop are offered by The Pizza Pipeline, which is opening next week in a 1,000-square-foot store in the east end of the Fred Meyer building near Highway 95 in Coeur d’Alene. The take-out and delivery pizza place offers four sizes of pizza with choices of 25 toppings and five sauces. Other items include sub-sandwiches and breadsticks. Hours will be 10:30 a.m. to 1 or 2 a.m. daily.

Owned by Michael Kight of Bothel, Wash., the 10-year-old company has 25 stores in six states. Vice-president is Gene Boik of Spokane. Clay Flower of Spokane will own the Coeur d’Alene franchise, which will employ 15 to 30 people.

Anything in automotive except body work and tires is available at All Tune and Lube, which opened last week in Pleasantview Business Center on Fifth Street between Pleasantview Road and McDonald’s restaurant in Post Falls.

The 3,600-square-foot business, with four employees, rolls three automotive repair franchises under one roof - All Tune And Lube (for tune-ups, lubrication, brakes and exhaust system work), Motor Max (for engine repair or replacement) and All Tune Transmission (self-explanatory).

Originally from Thompson Falls, Mont., owner Don (Butch) Fleisher came from the Seattle area, where he was employed by Puget Sound Power & Light for 30 years. He came to North Idaho to be closer to his Montana family.

Easy to find under a 5-foot, steaming coffee cup sign, Jammin’ Java is a new espresso hut on the northwest corner of Ramsey Road and Kathleen in Coeur d’Alene.

The business offers 52 flavors of lattes, Italian sodas, muffins and cookies. Hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Owners are Linda and Chuck Lawhead, who came to Coeur d’Alene from the San Diego area. Linda, originally from Laguna Nigel, Calif., manages Jammin’ Java, while Chuck, originally from Wenatchee, operates ServiceMaster commercial cleaning. Linda has two employees.

Though not business-related, perhaps this story will boost your Christmas spirits.

It’s adapted from the recent experience of a Coeur d’Alene family as related by a local deacon last Sunday. He recalled that the family was spending a somewhat lonely, meager winter overseas.

Major presents were not possible, and they couldn’t just go out into the woods and cut a tree. So the family narrowed its focus. The dad built a small manger in the living room from scraps of wood. Each day the mother, father and 3-year-old son, coincidentally named Christopher, together put strands of dried grass into the crib. Statues of Mary, Joseph and other crib scene characters - but not the infant - were added to the scene one by one.

After the boy went to bed on Christmas eve, the parents did what little decorating they could manage and put out some small items from Santa Claus.

At 3 a.m. they heard the son, Christopher, leave his bedroom. Then they heard him squeal with delight as he saw the scene with the makeshift “tree” and presents in the living room. They held their breath.

He ran into their room and yelled:

“The baby is here!”

Best wishes for a healthy, happy, meaningful holiday.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Nils Rosdahl The Spokesman-Review