Interface Computer School plans to close its Spokane Valley training center, one of three it operates here, due to a downturn in enrollment.


Dave Wilson, who owns the Spokane-based business with his wife, Linda, says the school plans to vacate its 2,500-square-foot leased space at 1005 N. Pines by Sept. 30, when its lease there expires. It has been operating a satellite training center there since 1991.


Sept. 11 had a definite impact on us. Ever since then weve been down 18 to 20 percent enrollment-wise, Wilson says. I really thought it would be short-lived, but its still continuing. What we hear is people have put plans on hold. A lot of them are just choosing to do nothing. He says the collapse of the technology market also probably has played a role.


The Wilsons own the other two buildings where Interface operates training centersan 11,600-square-foot building at 9921 N. Nevada and a 7,200-square-foot building at 1118 N. Washington. The training centers occupy only part of the space in those buildings, though, and both have had vacancies recently, so it just doesnt make any sense to continue operating a small, leased third location during an enrollment slump, Wilson says. Most of the remaining available space in the Interface headquarters building on Nevada was leased recently, but about half of the space in the building on Washington still is empty.


Wilson still is looking for a tenant to lease the rest of that building, but says, If enrollment were to pick up all of a sudden, weve got the space. Besides, he says, Thats been an excellent location for us, due partly to its high visibility at the corner of Boone and Washington.


Interface, which claims to be Spokanes oldest computer school, offers training courses lasting nine to 12 months in computer technician certification, network administration, Web-site design, and business office administration. The school has 21 permanent employees and 30 overall, and typically enrolls about 240 students a year, but is probably going to be at about 200 this year, Wilson says. The school hasnt had to lay off any of its permanent employees, but has reduced its staff size through attrition in response to the slowdown, he says.