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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

St. Aloysius Church selling home for $1

St. Aloysius Gonzaga School has purchased this house at 1703 N. Dakota St., with hopes of expanding their property. It’s the only house on the block. Instead of tearing it down, they are selling just the house for $1. The catch is that the purchaser must move the house to another piece of land. (Colin Mulvany)

If you’re in the market for a four-square home, there’s one at 1703 N. Dakota St. up for sale. The cost: $1. The catch? You’ll have to move the house to a suitable lot.

The house was purchased by St. Aloysius Catholic Parish for $270,000 in July. It sits on the eastern border of the lot that houses St. Aloysius Gonzaga School.

It was built in 1911, back when the Logan Neighborhood had a predominantly Catholic influence – Gonzaga, St. Aloysius Church, Holy Names Academy, Gonzaga Preparatory School and St. Joseph’s Orphanage were all neighbors. Local families were mostly craftsmen and railroad employees. The Foleys and the Crosbys were among the families that lived in the neighborhood back then.

“We want the land for expansion at some point,” said mission advancement director Angie Krauss.

According to the Spokane County Assessor’s website, the house is 3,168 square feet, has a fireplace and an open frame porch. The structure itself was most recently appraised at $142,100.

“They are just trying to find a home for it,” said Guy Byrd of Cornerstone Property Advisors. He said the hope was to find a buyer with a lot close to its current location, hopefully by the end of November.

Mike Rubert of Mountain Homestead Structural Movers said he was inside the home earlier this year and was impressed with it.

“It’s a beautiful home,” he said. “The inside is really in nice shape.”

Rubert estimated the cost to move the home at about $30,000 because of its size – it’s taller than the power lines and streetlights.

He said there is a lot of logistics involved in a move, including obtaining permits from the city and other government agencies and working with utility companies to move wires. Moves must be done in the middle of the night when there is less traffic.

Recently, Rubert moved a home similar in size to the corner of Greene Street and Marshall Avenue from a lot near Avista. He said it took about an hour to move the house the 2 miles to its new location.

Krauss said she isn’t sure what the school will do with the house if it doesn’t sell. She said the school really doesn’t have a need for it.

“We’re hoping that it works,” Krauss said.