Downtown medical office building, garage to be converted to apartments

The nine-story Qualmed Building near Spokane’s Lewis and Clark High School is being converted from an office building to a mixed-use and residential building, according to documents filed with the city.

The building at 508 W. Sixth Ave. will have 85 apartments when complete, and the developer is seeking a 12-year multifamily tax exemption from the city.

The building was built in 1962 as a medical office building, which it has remained since construction. At the time it was built, an adjacent 14-level parking garage was constructed that contained an “enormous lift which raised cars into slots,” according to plans filed with the city.

“The valet-dependent system was soon abandoned and the parking facility has remained empty and unused for over 50 years,” documents read.

Every other floor of the garage will be removed, and the remaining seven floors will be developed into a mix of one-bedroom, studio and “micro-apartment” units. About 42 apartments will be in the former garage.

The bottom five floors of the office building will remain offices, but the top four floors will be converted into 32 units, also a mix of one-bedroom, studio and “micro-apartment” units.

The building, with its recognizable honeycomb-like facade, was purchased in October for $1.2 million by 6th Avenue Partners LLC, which is governed by local developer Nick Brumback and David Squire, a Portland-based commercial real estate agent.