Spokane-based nonprofit Partners with Families & Children has purchased the former Taylor Engineering building at 106 W. Mission Avenue, which it plans to remodel as its new headquarters.

Formed in 2003, Partners is a nonprofit with a mission to prevent, interrupt, and repair cycles of abuse and neglect within families.

The organization’s executive director, Carol Plischke, says it purchased the 16,000-square-foot building early this month for a total of $870,000.

Marc Mowrer, of Leavitt Capital Cos., represented Partners, and NAI Black represented the sellers in the purchase transaction. 

The building was formerly the headquarters of Spokane-based engineering firm Parametrix Inc. As the Journal recently reported, Parametrix Inc. will be the first tenant for the recently renovated former Wonder Bread Bakery building—now called the Wonder Building—on the periphery of downtown Spokane, at 821 W. Mallon.

Uptic Studios has been selected as the architectural design firm to lead the renovations, which are expected to be completed in time for a summer move-in next year.

Plischke says the new space will enable the organization to combine its two current office locations—one at 1321 W. Broadway and another at 1235 N. Post. The new space also will enable Partners to serve a greater number of people and expand its services to help clients with substance-use disorders and mental health issues.

“Our two offices combined are only about 11,000 square feet, so this will definitely be an increase in size,” she says.

Plischke says the space will have added office and therapy areas, multiple rooms for forensic interviews, and a large multipurpose room for training of staff and people in the community. The organization also is hoping to include a pantry area with emergency clothing, food, and toiletries available for clients in need.

“The goal is to be able to pull all of our services together and have room to serve more children and families in the area,” she says.

Plischke says the organization’s plan to move to larger quarters comes after several years of growth and increased demand for its services within the community.

“Funding for behavioral health has increased over the last several years, so we’ve added staff and services to meet that increased need,” Plischke says.

 “All of our programs have grown, and we’ve also seen increased funding for the Children’s Advocacy Center.”

Since 2014, Partners has grown its staff from 35 employees from 14.

Many of the added employees provide mental health and substance use disorders treatment and parent education for caregivers.

Partners also provides mental health treatment for children and adolescents in addition to the services of the Children’s Advocacy Center, also known as CAC.

Partners’ CAC also coordinates the community multidisciplinary team of law enforcement, prosecution, social services, advocacy, and Child Protective Services. 

Partners is funded in part by the Spokane County Regional Behavioral Health Organization and the State of Washington.