Five Mile Spokane LLC, a Longview, Washington-based real estate development company, is planning a 48-unit multifamily project in North Spokane, says developer Andrew Spelman.

Tentatively dubbed Five Mile Apartments, the complex will be comprised of four buildings, over 70 parking spaces, and outdoor green spaces with mature landscaping. The site is located on about 2 acres of land at 7650 N. A St., on the southern end of the Five Mile Prairie and about a mile north of Francis Avenue.

Each of the three-story buildings will have 12 units. Residential units will include a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedrooms that range in size from 625 square feet to about 1,200 square feet, design plans show.

The estimated cost to build the complex is about $9 million, and Spelman says construction likely will begin by summer.

Developers are taking advantage of newly relaxed neighborhood density codes that now allow the apartment complex to proceed after months of delays attributed to objections from neighbors, says Spelman.

"The city came up with this new code ... that rezoned all the development there," explains Spelman. "If you're under 2 acres, it's unlimited density as long as you're meeting step-back and parking requirements."

A Washington state environmental application has been submitted for Five Mile Apartments and is currently in review and awaiting public notification and comment, according to permit information on file with the city of Spokane.

A single-family home currently is located at the site and will be demolished to make way for the apartments, says Spelman. 

To ease neighborhood congestion on Five Mile Road, most of the apartments will be accessed from A Street, which currently is unpaved. A handful of parking spaces will have access to the complex from Five Mile Road, he says.

 "We've gone as far as we can to try to decrease the traffic that's going into that neighborhood," he says.

Spokane-based Press Architecture LLC is designing the complex. A contractor will be selected following environmental approval, Spelman says.