The Dirt: Downtown Coeur d’Alene could get boutique hotel

New owners plan to transform a downtown Coeur d’Alene building, and they’ve submitted a preliminary proposal for a hotel.

Craig and Debbie Ward, of Harrison, recently bought the Dingle Building at 402 E. Sherman Ave. from longtime family owners, who include former Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem and her brother, Greg Crimp.

By spring, Bloem plans to close her business, Johannes Jewelers, now on the ground level of the three-story structure. Crimp, owner of The Sports Cellar in the same building, plans to move part of his operations to another site, mainly to continue sports team attire embroidery and printing, he said.

The Wards recently submitted a city project review application describing an early concept of converting the building into a boutique hotel with 40 to 60 rooms. Another consideration in planning, yet to be finalized, is replacement of a fourth floor that was destroyed in a 1957 fire.

The application also describes that a hotel lobby with any restaurants, gift shops or coffee shops would replace space now occupied by The Sports Cellar.

Bloem, who plans to close out jewelry inventory and semi-retire, said she and two brothers had owned the building as the fourth generation since 1932. Their great-grandfather, John Dingle, first opened Dingle’s Hardware inside the 1891-built structure.

Bloem was Coeur d’Alene’s first female mayor and its first to be elected three times.

Three multifamily projects planned

Three separate Spokane multifamily residential projects are in the works under expected City Council approval for tax-exempt status geared to targeted areas.

Through the Multiple Family Housing Property Tax Exemption Agreement, owner GVD Partners LP plans to build about 14 market-rate units in a building at 1011 W. First Ave.

Another downtown market-rate project expects construction of four units in a building at 816 W. Sprague Ave., which is owned by Diamond Parking Inc. and Mystery Building LLC.

The Blaine St. Development LLC plans to build nine residential units across two multifamily buildings, at 601 and 609 E. Seventh Ave., on the lower South Hill between Sherman and Hatch streets.

CdA game retailer moving

A Coeur d’Alene game and entertainment retailer, Press Start to Play, will expand and relocate from its Sherman Avenue location to the Village at Riverstone.

The business plans to occupy 2,100 square feet of space at 2040 N. Main St. by March. It offers video, card and table-top games as well as tournaments.

Chris Schreiber, of Kiemle & Hagood, represented the business. Casey Brazil, Pat Eberlin and Chris Schreiber, all of Kiemle & Hagood, assisted landlord Idaho Retail LLC.

Old furniture store sells

An investment partnership has purchased a former furniture store in Spokane Valley, at 6511 E. Sprague Ave., for redevelopment.

Four Investors LLC, of Spokane, bought the 6,300-square-foot building.

Jim Orcutt, of Black Commercial, handled the transaction.

Tinning service leases space

Component Tinning Services Inc. has leased about 1,200 square feet of space at the Spokane Business & Industrial Park in Spokane Valley.

The business operates a robotic lead tinning service.

Chase Breckner, marketing specialist, handled the new tenant transaction for the park at 3020 N. Sullivan Road.