Construction crews have started work on a $1.7 million expansion and renovation of a building on the Spokane Community College campus, in East Spokane.

John Gillette, the community college’s district director of facilities, says the campus structure known as Building 19 is being expanded to make room for the arrival of the fire sciences department.

“The plan is to be ready to move the department into Building 19 during the winter break of ’20,” Gillette says.

Building 19 is located on the northeast corner of the campus, just north of the athletic track. The building is occupied by the heavy equipment department, which includes electrics, engineering, and hydraulics, says Gillette.

About 3,500 square feet of space dedicated to the heavy equipment department will be remodeled for the fire science shop, and a 3,500-square-foot level above it will be added for classrooms, offices, and a new entry to that portion of the building, he says.

The fire sciences department currently is located on the southwestern most portion of the campus, near the intersection of Greene Street and Mission Avenue. It ultimately will be demolished to make way for the approaching North Spokane Corridor.

Spokane-based Meridian Construction & Development Inc. is the general contractor for the Building 19 project. Integrus Architecture PS, also of Spokane, is the project architect.