Spokane Art School building sold

ILF Media has purchased the Spokane Art School building for $1.1 million.

The arts school, which announced in January it would vacate the three-story brick building, 920 N. Howard, plans to vacate June 5, said Mark McLees, a sales and leasing agent with NAI Black. ILF Media intends to make minor renovations and move in, said Jim Swoboda, a principal and director of photography for the eight-year-old firm.

The new owner will occupy the top two floors and look to lease ground-floor space, perhaps to a restaurant, coffee shop or martini bar, Swoboda said.

The school had occupied the roughly 11,700-square-foot building since 1984. Its board decided to sell following declining art-class enrollment and dwindling federal and state support for the arts.

ILF Media employs 12, producing primarily television commercials, such as for Super 1 Foods. It currently owns three properties on West Nora after relocating from the Steam Plant Square downtown. The company plans to move in by July.