The city of Spokane is preparing to bolster its general fund by $2.1 million following the sale of its 11,800-square-foot North Monroe Public Defender building. The deal, which is expected to close this month, is under contract for purchase by Ryan Best, of Spokane-based Best Law PLLC, and Beth Pierce, according to a 14-page sale and lease agreement on file with the city.

"The sale is expected to close before the city council session on June 8," says Maggie Yates, deputy city administrator.

Per the March 23 purchase agreement, the Spokane office of Jones Lang LaSalle is the listing broker representing the seller, and NAI Black, of Spokane, is representing the buyer.

The Spokane Public Defender's Office currently occupies the building, located at 824 N. Monroe. The contract includes stipulations for the city to lease the building for $16 per square foot for one year following the sale, says Yates. The lease amount is about $190,000 for 12 months, and the contract also includes options for a lease extension.

"That rate is the annual lease rate moving forward," Yates says. "There will also be three one-year lease options that can be weighed after that, if needed."

The sale was prompted by an October 2025 recommendation to declare the building as surplus from the Real Estate Review Committee, which was approved by Spokane City Council.

The Real Estate Review Committee is the official body responsible for evaluating city-owned properties to determine their best long-term use. The committee primarily reviews properties that city departments no longer need and decides if they should be declared surplus and sold, leased, or repurposed, according to the city's website.

There are no immediate plans for the future location of the Spokane Public Defender's Office, says Yates, adding that the city is in the very early stages of planning next steps for that department.