Avista Corp. is expanding its call center space and, once a remodeling project there is completed, will occupy all of a building in Spokane Valley that it previously shared with a Horizon Credit Union branch.

Avista bought the building, located at 14523 E. Trent, about a year ago and moved the call center there to accommodate a major renovation project at Avista's headquarters here, spokesman Hugh Imhof says. Until recently, Horizon leased back part of the building and continued to keep a branch there, before moving the branch to its new headquarters, at 13224 E. Mansfield.

The call center handles customer service and billing inquiries for the utility. Altogether, it employs about 140 people in the peak of storm season, including supervisors, Imhof says.

In the remodeling project, Avista is adding three offices and 20 workstations, and replacing the lighting and carpeting in that part of the building, he says. It will cost $200,000 to remodel the roughly 2,800-square-foot space, Imhof says. Contract Pro Building, of Spokane, is doing the work, he says.

Avista is taking over the rest of the space in the building because the call center hasn't had enough room, which forced some employees to share workstations or to work in the basement of the building, Imhof says. Avista has hired several people at the call center recently, but likely won't hire more.

"Everyone will have a desk now," he says.

Imhof says the call center operation will stay in the building on Trent even after the Avista headquarters renovation is completed.