Here’s the Dirt: U-District Physical Therapy center opens

Spokane has a new indoor soccer center that’s part of a larger facility specializing in conditioning and training for athletes.

U-District Physical Therapy recently moved into its new 25,000-square-foot facility at 730 N. Hamilton St., south of The Warehouse, a sports complex.

Along with traditional physical therapy and massage therapy, the business specializes in preparing athletes and recreational participants for their sports.

“We do a lot of work with the high schools and the different select and AAU teams,” said physical therapist Brian Cronin who owns the 3-year-old business with Jeff Hart, a physical therapist and Mike Nilson, a strength and conditioning specialist. The business was previously located at Pacific Avenue and Cowley Street.

The facility has an exclusive contract to work with all the men’s and women’s teams at Gonzaga University, Cronin said. Doctor P.Z. Pearce of Champion Sports Medicine leases space upstairs for his practice and is a partner in the soccer center, which is available for youth and adult teams to rent.

Athletes can get assistance with their mechanics, say for swinging a golf club or pitching a baseball, and train on specialized equipment, Cronin said. Trainers working with players on their skills include college athletes or people who have undergraduate classes in exercise science and carry a specific certification.

The center also has equipment that prepares skiers for the upcoming season, said Cronin, who adds, “The idea is to be in shape before you start skiing instead of skiing into shape.”

Senior housing planned for north Spokane

Spokane Baptist Association Homes plans to build a $7 million affordable senior housing project near the north Spokane Lowe’s and has purchased land to build another project.

The nonprofit company, which owns Holman Gardens and Lilac Plaza retirement communities, applied to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for grant funds to help build the 50-unit complex, said Glen Pierce, CEO of SBAH.

The grant is crucial in proceeding with the project, which would be built near Lilac Plaza on Wiscomb Street. The complex would provide 40 HUD-subsidized units with another 10 units renting for below-market rates.

A second complex that may have nearly 80 senior housing units, is planned on about four acres of land between Division Street and U.S. Highway 2, Pierce said.

Spokane Neighborhood Economic Development Alliance, a local agency devoted to economic development, provided $132,000 in loans to help SBAH leverage funds to purchase the $412,000 property.

The land is already zoned for 78 senior housing units, Pierce said, although the project may not be completed for several years.

Eric Loewe, executive director of SNEDA, said the loans provided by his agency are usually near market rate or lower, but are more flexible than traditional banks and can help with pre-development costs and to leverage other loans and attract angel investors.

In the past few years, SNEDA, which began as a cooperative effort between the four local community centers, has loaned $1.2 million that has helped create or retain 48 full-time and 16 part-time jobs and either helped or are helping to build 125 affordable housing units developed by several different nonprofit builders, including Community Frameworks, Loewe said.

“Sometimes we do deals that banks wouldn’t do so it’s not about the interest.”

Priest Lake RV park slated for private homes, condos

A Calgary, Alberta-based developer plans to build condos on the Kaniksu Sands Resort, near Nordman, Idaho.

The property, which includes spaces for 80 recreational vehicles, will remain an RV park through this summer and will change hands in the fall, said Kristina Kingsland, a Realtor with RiverStone Real Estate of North Idaho.

Fred Johnston owner and president of Equity Development is the major partner in Kaniksu Sands LLC, which is developing the six-acre site, which has views of the Selkirk Mountains and Priest Lake. Plans include building a 20-unit condo complex and creating 10 deeded lots to sell to people who want to build their own homes, Kingsland said.

Condo units will be about 1,200- to 1,800-square feet and will be priced somewhere around $500,000 to $600,000, she said. The developer also plans to build a clubhouse with swimming pools and hot tub and residents will have access to a swimming beach and boat slips.

NorthTown Mall getting two new businesses

Two chain companies are opening new stores at NorthTown Mall.

The Great Frame Up is expected to open next week on the first floor of the mall. The retailer offers framing services, as well as already framed art and custom imaging services, a news release said. Wetzel’s Pretzels opened in the second floor food court at NorthTown Mall. The pretzel company offers choices of pretzels along with fresh-squeezed lemonade in flavors such as mango.