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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

North Idaho call center workers relocating to Liberty Lake

Call center company Center Partners will move roughly a third of its North Idaho workers to a facility in Liberty Lake.

Colorado-based Center Partners has signed a lease for a 52,000-square-foot building last used by Telect Inc.

Matt Carleton, who manages Center Partner’s three North Idaho sites, said the company has signed a lease for the former Telect site. “But there’s cotton in my mouth. That’s all I’m allowed to say,” Carlton said.

Asked about the reason for the move to Washington, Carleton said the Liberty Lake site provides the right mix of conditions and features for Center Partner’s needs.

Center Partners has offices in Coeur d’Alene, Hayden and Post Falls. The roughly 400 workers at 1201 W. Ironwood Drive in Coeur d’Alene will be moved out later this year, he said.

Brad Baldwin, a principal in Baldwin Corporate Real Estate, represented the owner of the Telect building, at 1730 N. St. Madson in Liberty Lake. Until last month, Telect’s Liberty Lake workers were using about a third of the building, constructed in 2000. The building’s owner is Jubilation Enterprises, a company belonging to the Williams family, which also owns Telect.

Telect expanded dramatically a decade ago and has since downsized and moved to another Liberty Lake building. It has taken over an office building with roughly 28,000 square feet at 23321 E. Knox Ave.

That building was constructed in 2002 by its current owner, the Pring Corp. Until last year, it served as the second location for Agilent Technologies, which leased it for several months following its own large downsizing. Agilent closed down all its area offices in 2010.

“This is a win-win for everyone,” Baldwin said. “It’s good for Center Partners and good for the Williamses.”

The lease to Center Partners culminates several years spent looking for commercial or manufacturing tenants for that second Telect building, he said.

Roughly one-third of its interior is office-ready, while the remainder can be easily converted to office use, Baldwin said.

The building is undergoing a remodeling and plumbing upgrade before Center Partners can move in. Carleton would not say when the company would take over the space.