Robert B. Goebel General Contractor Inc., of Spokane, has landed a contract to build a $5 million, four-story, 56,000-square-foot Class A office building on the former Thadeus T. Thudpuckers site in downtown Spokane.


The company thats developing the planned building, 41 West Riverside LLC, has applied with the city of Spokane for a building permit for the project, says Mick McDowell, the companys managing partner. Construction could start later this month, he says.


The building, which for now is being referred to as the 41 West Riverside Building, is expected to take 10 months to build. Construction costs are estimated at about $5 million, McDowell says.


McDowell says that in addition to serving as general contractor on the project, R.B. Goebel is providing design-build services for the buildings mechanical and electrical systems.


AmericanWest Bancorp., of Spokane, is a prospective tenant for the building and likely would take about 8,000 square feet of office space on the buildings ground floor, says Ron Willhite, a partner in the development company who is handling leasing activity for the planned building. He says hes talking with a handful of additional tenants, although none of them has signed a lease yet. Other potential tenants include medical groups, insurance companies, and law firms.


McDowell says hes financing the early stages of construction himself. He expects that once ground is broken on the project, some of the prospective tenants will agree to lease space, and the company will be able to secure a construction loan.


Spokane is a little bit recalcitrant about signing leases until we start digging, so were going to start digging, McDowell says.


Steven A. Meek Architects, of Spokane, designed the structure, which will include a brick-veneer exterior.