Spokane Valley chamber closing one office

The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that it would shutter its office on East Sprague Avenue in May and consolidate its staff in its Liberty Lake location at 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane.

The chamber began looking at site alternatives last year when the owner of the building at 9507 E. Sprague Ave. announced it was being sold, chamber president Eldonna Shaw said. A task force was created to explore options, and surveys were sent to the chamber’s 764 members, she said.

The task force talked to a variety of building owners in the Valley, she said. The chamber needed computer wiring, ADA accessibility and plenty of parking, Shaw said, and many buildings the chamber looked at didn’t meet those requirements.

The chamber opened its office in Liberty Lake two years ago, and it just made financial sense to consolidate, Shaw said.

“It isn’t anything new and drastic,” she said. “We just looked at how we could best continue all the programs we have going.”

Some members supported the move and weren’t concerned about where the offices were located, Shaw said. Others were vocal about their desire to have the chamber offices stay in Spokane Valley.

The chamber started in 1921 in Greenacres and has moved several times over the years. It has been at the East Sprague location since 2003.

The move will occur gradually and should be complete by the end of May. The chamber will host an open house and Founder’s Day celebration at the Liberty Lake location from 3 to 5 p.m. on June 1.