China South restaurant to be torn down
Owners plan to build six-space retail strip mall
Owners of China South restaurant at Lincoln Heights, on Spokane’s South Hill, will tear down the building and replace it with a retail complex, the project manager said Thursday.
The Cho and Chan Family Trust, which has operated China South for 20 years, shut down the business last week, said Marshall Clark, who’s managing the demolition and new construction.
Dating back to 1962, the building at 2915 E. 29th Ave. is one of four properties not owned by Lincoln Heights Center LLC, which operates the rest of the shopping center. The other three are Southside Christian Church, Vin Rouge restaurant and McDonald’s.
Chin Ho Cho said the decision to build a six-space retail strip makes sense, because of the remodeling and upgrading of Lincoln Heights Shopping Center now taking place.
Vandervert Construction is building a Trader Joe’s supermarket nearby in the center. Several retail stores in the same vicinity not far from China South are undergoing exterior remodeling.
Another reason was a desire to retire, Cho said. “We wanted to work not as much. It’s hard work running a restaurant,” Cho said.
Cho estimated the new space will be roughly 8,000 square feet and will front 29th Avenue.
The first phase of work is removal of minimal asbestos, said Clark, who also runs Clark Pacific Real Estate.
Cho said the construction of the new retail center could run about $1 million.
No leases have been signed yet. A number of possible tenants have begun discussions about the available spaces. Clark said one likely lease-signer is a frozen yogurt shop.
Trader Joe’s, the popular chain that sells trendy wine, snacks and low-price specialty foods, will open its first Spokane-area store in Lincoln Heights sometime this fall. Trader Joe’s has begun interior work but hasn’t set an opening date.
Cho said the family is not planning to close the other restaurant it owns, the Kay Lon Garden, at 2819 N. Division St.
Earlier this year the owners of Lincoln Heights Center LLC offered to buy the China South building. That offer was not accepted, said a representative of Lincoln Heights Center LLC.
Spokane architect Sam Nystrom is designing the new retail strip, Clark noted.