Mario & Son Inc., a Spokane Valley stone fabricator, plans to move to a new, larger plant that its owners will develop for it in Liberty Lake along the south side of Interstate 90, says Joey Marcella, the companys president.


Tentatively, the plant is expected to be a one-story, concrete-block structure with about 44,000 square feet of floor space, although it also might include a 3,000-square-foot mezzanine level, Marcella says.


It will occupy a roughly 3.5-acre site that he says he, his brother, Mike, and his father, Mario, are buying from SDS Realty Inc., of Spokane, through a company theyre setting up called Palermo Stone Holdings LLC. Palermo also will develop and own the building.


The plant will be located on a street named Eagle Lane, in front and somewhat east of Huntwood Industries Inc.s huge new plant at the southeast corner of Appleway Avenue and Molter Road, he says.


The total cost of the project, including land, building, and furnishings, and some new high-tech fabrication equipment, is expected to be about $5.5 million, Marcella says. Wolfe Architectural Group PS, of Spokane, designed the project. Construction bids are expected to be sought shortly, and Marcella says he expects construction to get under way by early September. Mario & Son hopes to move into the new building by early spring next year. Wheatland Bank, of Spokane, is providing financing for the project.


Mario & Son earlier had negotiated with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians about possibly building a plant on land in Airway Heights near the Northern Quest Casino, where the tribe is proposing a large mixed-use development. Marcella says, though, that the tribes plans there were advancing too slowly to meet the companys expansion needs.


We prefer to be in Liberty Lake, anyway, he says. In the long run, I think its better for us, so were happy.


Mario & Son fabricates countertops, wall coverings, and other surfacing pieces for customers throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho using materials such as granite, marble, glass, and Silestone, a strong composite material that consists of natural quartz chips and resins.


It caters to a mix of contractors, interior designers, and home owners. Its work force currently fluctuates in size between about 20 and 25 people, but Marcella says he expects to grow to 35 to 40 over the next several years.


The company had revenues of about $3.5 million last year, up from $2.5 million in 2004, and Marcella says, This has been a big year for us. Weve got a lot of commercial work lined up for the rest of the year.


Mario & Son currently leases a 13,000-square-foot building at 6523 E. Main. It moved there in 1995, initially leasing about 2,000 square feet of floor space.


The company later took over the adjoining spaces of two other tenants, then had the buildings owner construct a 6,000-square-foot addition three years ago. Marcella said in an interview about a year ago that the company was bursting at the seams there, due to continued rapid growth, and was exploring either developing a plant somewhere in the Spokane area or having its building on Main expanded again.


Contact Kim Crompton at (509) 344-1263 or via e-mail at [email protected].