Energy efficiency system designer and contractor McKinstry Co. is planning a second prefabrication building on the West Plains that is expected to double the Seattle-based company’s fabrication capacity in Spokane County.

The new 95,000 square foot fabrication building is planned to rise at 9610 W. 21st, next to its existing 68,000 square foot building at 9470 W. 21st. The property is about a mile north of Spokane International Airport, according to predevelopment permit information on file with the city of Spokane.

Nick Wilkes, business unit manager for McKinstry’s fabrication shop network, says the new building will produce prefabricated plumbing and heating ventilation, and air conditioning systems used in the company’s commercial construction projects across the U.S. The prefabricated parts will be manufactured off site and shipped to job locations ready for installation, a process designed to reduce construction time, costs, and safety risks while improving quality control.

Wilkes explains that the project represents a deeper commitment to the Spokane market, positioning the region as a secondary headquarters and innovation hub for McKinstry’s manufacturing and prefabrication operations. McKinstry expects to hire 100 skilled workers to staff the new facility. The company currently employs about 100 full-time workers at its existing fabrication building.

Spokane-based Press Architecture LLC is listed as the architectural firm on preliminary permit information. The Spokane office of Seattle-based DCI Engineers Inc. created the site plan for the project; a contractor for the development is not currently listed on permit information.

The project will proceed in phases. Initial construction, expected to begin this summer, will focus on site work and the building shell. A second phase will focus on the interior build-out, plumbing systems, office space, and other operational areas. The preconstruction and design phase is expected to continue through the rest of the year, with an estimated completion in 2027, Wilkes says.

McKinstry has planned the expansion since 2020 and already owns the land where the new building will be constructed.

In addition to the new facility, the company is expanding its off-site manufacturing footprint in Spokane County by leasing another building on West Hartlett Road near its existing manufacturing operation. The additional space will double its off-site manufacturing capacity.

—Karina Elias