Spokane Television Inc., which operates a group of radio and TV stations here including KXLY-TV, has launched a big expansion and remodeling project at its broadcast center on Boone Avenue north of downtown.


Garco Construction, of Spokane, began work in November on a two-story, 6,500-square-foot addition to the west end of the 28,400-square-foot facility, which is perched atop a rock outcropping at 500 W. Boone, near the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, says Jerry Schlatter, a Garco project manager.


Garco also recently has built a new parking lot for the broadcast center, just to the north of the main facility, and has begun some remodeling work inside the current facility, says Schlatter. He says that once the new addition is completed this spring, Garco expects to do more extensive remodeling throughout the current facility. ALSC Architects PS, of Spokane, is the architect on the expansion project.


Officials at Spokane Television couldnt be reached for comment, but building permits issued by the city of Spokane estimate the value of the construction projects currently under way or recently completed at about $510,000. The overall project, however, might cost much more than that. KXLY, along with Spokanes other TV stations, has said it likely will have to spend millions of dollars to upgrade its studio and broadcasting equipment to begin digital broadcasting by May 2002, as mandated by the Federal Communications Commission.


Also related to the project, KXLY last month was granted a vacation of Hawley Place, a short street that had run east from Howard Street behind the KXLY center, as well as an alley on that same block.


Last fall, KHQ-TV announced plans to build a new, 45,000-square-foot two-story building downtown and to move there from its current location on the South Hill. Work on that project is expected to begin this coming summer.