A $12 million project that would include a seven-story medical-office building and a four-level parking garage is being planned for a site just south of Holy Family Hospital on Spokanes North Side.


Developers Al French and Rob Daugherty have formed a company called Franklin Park Medical Center II LLC to pursue the project. They hope to begin construction of the 80,000-square-foot office building and 275-stall parking facility next year.


Its an exciting project, Daugherty says.


The medical-office building would be located just west of, and connect via skywalk to, a three-story, medical-office building that French, Daugherty, and some minority investors currently are building at the southwest corner of Rowan Avenue and Lidgerwood Street. That 30,600-square-foot structure is expected to open in mid-February and already is fully leased, French says.


Plans call for development of a third medical-office building, identical to the one now nearing completion, just to the south of that one, but construction of that building likely is three years away, he says.


French, who serves on the Spokane City Council, is designing the medical-office complex through his firm, Al French Architect. The project is intended to conform to, and make use of, a long-range city plan aimed at attracting higher-density development and high-paying jobs to certain targeted areas.


The Holy Family area was one of four chosen as pilot revitalization-planning areas following the City Councils approval in 2001 of a new comprehensive land-use plan thats designed to guide development activity for the next 20 years. The comprehensive plan designated 21 mixed-use centers and corridors in which development efforts are to be focused. Under the plan, the city offers developers certain incentives to build in areas designated as employment centers.


Franklin Park Medical Center IIs planned seven-story building is expected to have 55,000 square feet of medical-office space on the first five floors, and a total of 12 residential condominiums on the top two floors. We already have interest in some of the units, French says.


The adjacent parking garage is to have one underground level and three above-ground floors, French says. He notes that the building now nearing completion also has underground parking, and says. We will have underground parking on the entire site, partly to provide a secure area for doctors who have offices there.


French and Daugherty say the construction start date for the seven-story building will depend on how quickly they can get a certain amount of space pre-leased or committed, but that theyre encouraged by the response theyre getting so far.


We feel at this point it probably will be sooner rather than later, Daugherty says. Its a great area. Our first project was a great project. From the office-space standpoint, its been very strong for us. Although the condominium portion is somewhat more of an unknown, he says the project is moving toward the pre-lease commitment level needed to get the project under way.