The nonprofit Northeast Community Center says work is expected to start before month's end on a $6 million expansion of its facility in Hillyard.

The expansion will include construction of a 31,000-square-foot, three-level addition, an outdoor gathering area, and expanded parking, says Bill Duffy, president of the NECC board. Walker Construction Inc., of Spokane, is the general contractor on the project, and Spokane-based NAC/Architecture Inc. designed it.

The center, which currently has 37,000 square feet of floor space, all on one level, is at the northwest corner of Cook Street and Garland Avenue, across Cook from Shaw Middle School.

Duffy says the ground level of the addition will house primary medical-care services, tripling the number of the center's exam rooms.

"Providing additional access to affordable medical care is critical to helping our families be able to remain healthy and self-sufficient," Duffy says, adding that during the recession, the center has served families that have never before had to seek assistance.

The 7,000-square-foot basement level of the expansion will house as-yet undetermined programs and services for school-age youths, he says, adding that the NECC is seeking other nonprofit service providers to occupy the upper level of the addition.

The NECC houses offices of 14 nonprofit service organizations, including Community Health Association of Spokane, the Northeast Child Development Center, and the Hillyard Senior Center.

Pete Fortin, chairman of NECC's expansion board, says he believes the project will boost economic development in nearby low-income neighborhoods.

"Not only will it assist in keeping clients well enough to seek and maintain employment, the actual construction will infuse money into the economy by putting some of our neighbors back to work," Fortin says.

The expansion also will result in about 20 new jobs inside the facility, he adds. A total of 120 people currently work at various agencies inside the center.

Duffy says the project is designed to meet environmentally friendly standards for Leadership in Environmental Energy & Design (LEED) silver certification.

The expansion project is being funded in part through community development block grants, including some federal stimulus funds.