Construction is underway on the estimated $6 million Ponderosa Village retail center development that will surround the Barney’s Harvest Foods grocery store, at 11205 E. Dishman-Mica Road in Spokane Valley. Project manager and landscape architect Clyde Haase, of Spokane-based Haase Landscape Inc., says site clearing has been completed and concrete pads for two 5,000- to 6,000-square-foot buildings have been poured.

“We’re fast-tracking,” Haase says. “We want to get the pavement in place prior to October or November.”

Rex Anderson, of Spokane-based Fusion Architecture PLLC, says building permits are expected to be issued this week. Anderson says contractor Kilgore Construction Inc. and the City of Spokane Valley have been essential in advancing the project. 

“They’ve been a real partner in helping us to get through the site permitting and to get through the building permitting stages,” Anderson says. “They’ve been on the spot at every juncture along the way to help … so we address everything we need to take care of.”

Anderson says the two buildings in progress—of five total planned structures—are expected to be completed in November or December, with commercial tenants moving in shortly after. One tenant, The Mix Salon and Day Spa, already has been secured, Anderson says.

A restaurant and a coffee shop are “on the verge” of signing leases, he adds.

Haase says listening to the community’s desires has been part of the project since the early planning stages.

“We sent over 9,000 inquiries out to the immediate neighborhood, and over 700 responded to say, ‘Hey, here’s what we would like to see in our area,’” Haase says.

There’s no shortage of options for selecting other tenants, he claims, adding that he receives calls from prospective tenants every day. Tenants could include fast-food restaurants, specialty pet supply stores, a brewery, or a sports medicine practice, Haase says.

“We want it to be convenient. That’s the most important thing,” he says.

Anderson says the buildings will include architectural features like gable roofs, exposed timbers, and a stone veneer.

“The owners of Barney’s Harvest Foods are very community-driven,” Anderson says. “They want something that looks good but also fits in well with the surrounding area.”