Baker Construction & Development Inc., of Spokane, has obtained building permits to construct Heritage North, a 10,000-square-foot, three-tenant retail building that will replace two, nearly 40-year-old buildings at 9405 N. Newport Highway.

Prominent Spokane real estate developers Dave Black and Mark Pinch, head the project’s ownership group. 

Black says tenants will be Aspen Dental, Mod Pizza, and Wells Fargo Bank. 

Pinch says the $3.5 million project should be ready for tenants in October.

The project site is located at the southwest corner of Newport Highway and Holland Avenue, just east of a Rosauers supermarket, near the Division Street “Y.”

A pair of two-story buildings with a total of 19,500 square feet of retail and office space, which were constructed in 1976 and 1978, had occupied the site.

The south building has been razed and construction work has started there for the new building, says Zach Bull, a project manager for Baker Construction, adding that the south building will be demolished April 15.

The Heritage North building shell will be completed in five months, Bull says. 

Baker Construction likely will bid to perform the interior improvements as well, he says.

The 1.4-acre project site will have an expanded parking lot that will include 58 parking spaces and landscaping, where the old buildings had a total of about 45 spaces.

Heritage North will have vehicle access from both Newport Highway and Holland Avenue.

Mercier Architecture & Planning, of Spokane, designed the project, and Whipple Consulting Engineers Inc., of Spokane Valley, is providing engineering services.