Spokane Valley Mayor Dean Grafos building South Hill condos

Spokane Valley Mayor Dean Grafos is building condos on Spokane’s South Hill, and the building permit issued by the city of Spokane states that Grafos will live in one of the units.

However, Grafos said that’s not the case.

“I may end up living there if I ever retire, but I have no plans to move,” he said.

Grafos’ construction company is developing the property at 27 W. Sumner Ave., just west of Grand Boulevard.

The building permit is issued to owner/builder Dean Grafos because the general contractor license for Grafos Construction had expired when he applied for the permit, he said.

“The only way to get it through quickly was to say I was going to live there,” Grafos said. “We were trying to beat the weather.”

The permit was issued in October, and Grafos Construction has since renewed its license and bond.

Louis Meuler, interim director of Spokane’s Planning and Development Services, said this is nothing unusual.

“He can easily transfer this to a commercial permit at this point,” Meuler said.

Grafos said his construction company used to be more active with properties in Seattle, Spokane and several other areas, but the job as mayor of Spokane Valley has kept him too busy to start any new projects lately.

The lot, on the corner of South Browne Street and West Sumner Avenue, is a bit larger than 15,000 square feet, and county records show that Grafos and his wife, Elizabeth Grafos, purchased it for $340,000 in 2007.

The zoning is residential multifamily and would allow for 10 units.

Grafos plans to build four condos now, adding two later, for a total of six units.

“They will be upscale, nice condos with city views,” Grafos said.

The building is expected to be ready in August.