Avista Corp., of Spokane, says it’s progressing with development plans for the former AAA of Spokane property at 1717 W. Fourth, which it bought earlier this year and plans to convert into a downtown operations center. It says it plans to develop a new substation on a nearby lot in the future, though it hasn’t set a timetable for that project.

The company has hired ZBA Architecture PS, of Spokane, to design the renovation and has named Seattle-based McKinstry Co., which has a sizable Spokane presence, to serve as general contractor, says Jessie Wuerst, senior communications manager at Avista. She says the total cost of the project has yet to be determined.

Wuerst says permits have been issued and work already has begun on some limited demolition and asbestos removal at the larger of two buildings on the former AAA property, and the company anticipated filing a permit application for the full renovation as early as this week.

Avista bought the former AAA property in July for $2 million. The transaction included the two buildings that together have about 28,000 square feet floor space, as well as about 2 acres of land. The company earlier had acquired the land where it will develop the substation.

AAA moved its downtown operations in April 2014 into a leased 5,600-square-foot commercial space at 1314 S. Grand that Savory Restaurant & Lounge formerly occupied. A Bellevue, Wash.-based AAA spokesman said prior to the South Hill move that the organization wanted to relocate there mostly to be closer to the majority of its area members and to give them more convenient access to its services.

Avista recently filed an application to vacate Oak Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues, adjacent to the future substation property, to consolidate the two parcels it now owns there, but hadn’t received a decision from the city on that application as of early last week. Being able to vacate that section of Oak would give the utility better use of the land for equipment and parking, Wuerst says.

Plans call for the addition of fencing and landscaping to improve security while enhancing the visual appeal of the property, she says.

Once renovations are completed, the building will give Avista the ability to consolidate groups of employees who currently are at sites scattered around the Spokane area, as well as materials and vehicles, Wuerst says. 

She says Avista employees should be moving into the renovated building by next spring.