The Dirt: Spokane couple seeks to convert Hillyard warehouse into sports center

A Spokane couple is looking to turn a vacant warehouse into a volleyball club and gym, according to plans submitted to the city of Spokane.

Ryan and Nicole Hodl are co-directors and coaches of Spokane Elite VBC, a Spokane youth volleyball club. The couple plans to turn the warehouse into a home for adult and youth volleyball teams. But the space would also host basketball, pickleball and indoor soccer, Nicole Hodl said.

“This building is the perfect size for our vision to create a competitive atmosphere for ambitious athletes,” she said. “The primary use will be to rent out our courts, host adult leagues, organize youth camps and clinics, and host tournaments for our Spokane teams.”

The gym will be called Elite Performance Facility. Additional work to build out the space will include adding a weight room, meeting spaces, flooring, water fountains, bathrooms and lighting.

Located at 3405 E. Bismark Court, the 18,000-square-foot building sits across U.S. Highway 395 from Harmon Field and Skate Park.

The Hodls are both elementary school teachers and share a goal that the space will breed fierce competition. But they also hope the facility will be welcoming to the surrounding community and youths, Ryan Hodl said.

“Our North Spokane community is in need of a sports facility for practices, tournaments, private lessons, or just a place for kids to explore different sports,” he said. “This gives our community a convenient option for athletes of all ages to explore sports and perfect their skill for those competitive athletes.”

The Hodls said they expect the remodel of the space will take about a year and a half and cost about $750,000. The two teachers are still early in their design phases, however.

Plans were submitted as part of the pre-development process, which gives developers the opportunity to garner feedback from city building officials before construction permits are sought.

The two have not yet applied for a permit and are still soliciting investors, they said.

Mosque, school planned for Hillyard

A developer is exploring a project that would bring a mosque and an additional structure to house a weekend school, according to plans submitted to the city of Spokane.

The project is planned for a vacant lot three blocks south of the Hillyard Aquatic Center.

Located at 5401 N. Market St., the project will include a 4,000-square-foot, two-story mosque building, a 2,000-square-foot, two-story weekend school and a 27-space parking lot.

A weekend school provides Muslim children with foundational religious education, Quranic studies and Arabic language skills, according to the Muslim Community Association.

The vacant lot was purchased in 2017 by Jay R. Bonnett, a principal engineer at Spokane-based J.R. Bonnett Engineering, according to Spokane County property records.

Plans for the project were submitted as part of the pre-development process by Saleh Elgiadi of Maryam Masjid and Islamic Community Center, a Spokane-based religious nonprofit.

Elgiadi could not immediately be reached last week for comment.

West Central workshop to become bar

Across from Backyard Public House, a developer is looking to convert an old upholstery shop into a bar, according to plans submitted to the city of Spokane.

Located at 1730 W. Broadway Ave., the project is planned for a roughly 5,000-square-foot building. The property was purchased by Cory Ehrgott, a Spokane-based real estate agent, and a few other investors, for $437,500 in January, according to Spokane County property records.

The bar will feature a stage, an arcade game area and multiple bar areas, plans show.

Plans were submitted as part of a construction permit application submitted to the city.

Ehrgott, of Centennial Enterprise, is the general contractor for the project. He could not immediately be reached last week for comment.