The Dirt: Airport to spend $11.5 million for administration building

Officials of Spokane International Airport have submitted a construction permit application to the city of Spokane for a new $11.5 million building to house its administrative offices.

“The airport administration office, where dozens of our nearly 150 airport employees work, is currently located on the second floor of the terminal facility and has long been at capacity,” said Alannah Toft, communications manager for the airport. “Recognizing this and aligning to the airport’s master plan, the Spokane Airport Board approved the design of a brand-new administrative facility in 2023.”

The Spokane International Airport is jointly owned by the city of Spokane and Spokane County and governed by a public board.

The 36,000-square-foot building will sit northwest of the intersection of Airport Drive and Compass Lane. Once constructed, it will be the westernmost building on the airport grounds. Work to prep the site is already underway.

“Construction of the new facility – which will house offices for the airport’s human resources, finance, property management, planning and development, legal, operations, air service and marketing departments – began in 2024 and is expected to conclude in Q4 2026,” said Toft. “The facility will also include ground-level parking, on-site meeting rooms, collaboration areas.”

The two-story building will consist of underground parking which will encompass roughly 20,000 square feet. Offices will span 13,000 square feet, plans show.

“It’s not just about building a better facility,” said Dave Haring, Spokane Airports CEO. “The enhancements that have come to life over the past several years – in the form of expanded air service, new concessions, updated amenities and improved infrastructure – are all part of this promise to our customers, and set forth the tone for continued growth and momentum.”

Spokane-based Bouten Construction will build the structure designed by MWA Architects, a Portland-based firm.

Mexican restaurant planned for Hillyard

Local Spokane restaurant Las Delicias de Isa is planning to move a couple of miles south to North Market Street.

It will be located in the Nebraska building.

Las Delicias can also be found at a handful of farmers markets around town, according to owner Isabel “Isa” Varela.

Located at 7919 N. Altamont St., the current location sits just outside of Spokane city limits near Crestline Street.

A remodel permit application was applied for the Nebraska location, a historic 1907 building located at 5008 N. Market St.

Since its construction, the building has hosted a diverse mix of businesses including Walker Grocery Store, Imperial Pool & Beer Parlor, Bon Ton Restaurant, Gibson Billiards, Trowbridge Jewelers and most recently Barker’s Cafe and currently the Quilter’s Corner, according to the Spokane County Historic Preservation Office.

Since purchasing the building in 2021, a group of owners have updated the facade, remodeled its plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems an installed commercial kitchen equipment, according to Spokane building permit records.

Owners of the Nebraska building include Blake Stepp, Arman Mohsenian, Casey Calvary and Cory Hoveskeland, according to Spokane County property records.

Stepp and Calvary were both notable Gonzaga University basketball players.

The group of investors purchased the property for $325,000.

Spokane based Eighty8 Architecture designed the project and Kaleb Fisher, a local contractor, will construct it.

$1.8 million coffee project planned

for Division

Plans have been submitted to the city of Spokane for a coffee hut and two -lane drive -thru at Franklin Park Commons, 5520 N. Division St.

The shopping center hosts Trader Joe’s, Old Navy and Ross Dress For Less.

Directly in front of the Old Navy storefront, the operation will include a 510 square foot coffee hut called 7Brew, and two large drive-thru lanes capable of holding 22 cars at a time, plans show.

7Brew is a national coffee chain based in Rogers, Arkansas, with locations in 38 states, according to its website. The location will be the company’s first in Washington.

7Brew will sit immediately north of the now -closed Shari’s Cafe & Pies.

Construction of 7Brew will replace 60 parking spaces and cost an estimated $1.8 million, plans show.

Plans were submitted by Nicole Georgilas of Anchor Point Management, an Irving, Texas-based firm, as part of the predevelopment process, which gives developers the opportunity to garner feedback from city building officials before construction permits are sought.

Georgilas could not be reached by publication deadline.