Home Depot makes permit move

A Liberty Lake Home Depot is close to becoming a reality.

During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Doug Smith, director of planning and community development, reported that the home improvement giant has formally submitted its building permit application packet.

“Home Depot has been very receptive to the types of considerations we’ve asked for,” Smith said, adding that the company worked with the city on exterior changes that would better blend with the area.

Home Depot Inc.’s interest has sparked inquiries from other businesses.

“The little community has been discovered in terms of commercial activity,” Smith said.

Home Depot is slated for development on 14 acres of land north of Country Vista Drive, on the west end of the city near Alton’s Tire.

In January a corporate spokeswoman told The Spokesman-Review that the purchase of the property was contingent on approval of the project.

The land is being purchased from Liberty Lake Land Co. LLC, a Seattle-based development company, one of whose shareholders is William E. Boeing Jr., son of the Boeing Co. founder.

The completed 102,000-square-foot store will have a 28,000-square-foot attached garden center, employ 125 and hopefully open by January of 2006.

After the council meeting, Smith said a half-dozen companies have expressed interest in Liberty Lake Corporate Park, where Home Depot is locating.

Within the park, Home Depot is the anchor for The Village at Liberty Lake, a 450,000-square-foot retail complex with lease spaces and building pad sites available

However, the businesses wanted to make sure the Home Depot project is a go before moving forward, he said.

“As soon as they see that Home Depot is a reality – other than it’s coming soon – that’s when their interest will begin to materialize into building permits,” Smith said.

Home Depot is expected to break ground the third week of June.