Spokane-based nonprofit The Artisans' Ark, which does business as Artisans, has purchased the western half of its Spokane office building just east of downtown in a transaction that will secure enough additional space to meet growing demand at the employment services agency, says Artisans CEO Polly Maxwell.

The acquisition of about 5,300 square feet of additional office space doubles Artisans' footprint at its main office at 200 E. Second, where the organization already owns the east half of the building. 

"We forecast that the space will be needed in the near future," Maxwell says, adding that the organization is developing both short-term and long-term plans for the space.

Future plans likely will include more offices. While hiring will be contingent on those future plans, the expansion also paves the way for potential job creation at Artisans, which provides job development, support, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Spokane, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties.

The nonprofit's workforce and client caseload have grown 40% and 79%, respectively, since expanding to a 3,000-square-foot leased office space at 220 W. Francis in 2021. 

Artisans will operate in both the central and North Spokane locations, that together total over 13,000 square feet of office space. The organization also has grown to 21 employees from 15 employees in 2021 and its caseload has increased to 224 clients from 125 clients three years ago, Maxwell says.

Artisans first moved into the east half of the office building along Second Avenue in 2009 and purchased that 5,300-square-foot office space a year later. The employment agency purchased the west half of the building in August for $635,400 from Inland Unlimited LLC, a property investment company based in Chattaroy, according to Washington state tax records. 

That space currently is occupied by Spokane-based Inland Medical & Rehab Inc. as a medical equipment retail showroom with offices. Inland Medical was founded in 1988 and was acquired by Boise, Idaho-based medical retailer Norco Inc. in September 2023, according to data from PitchBook, a proprietary market data platform.

Norco has a short-term lease through November, Maxwell says.

"We plan on renovating the space to meet the needs of our program, once that's assessed," she says. "It doesn't need anything but cosmetic renovations."

A budget hasn't been established for tenant improvements yet, however, renovations are anticipated to begin in December following the current tenant's departure, she notes.

Maintaining a strong presence close to downtown is a priority for Artisans, as it supports many people who are employed or who access services in the area, Maxwell says. 

"It's an exciting addition for us because it allows us to grow our program and not be concerned about accessibility," says Maxwell. "It gives us a blank slate to grow things in the direction that we need to."