Spokane-based Northwest Farm Credit Services has begun designing a $7.5 million remodel and expansion of what will be its new corporate headquarters on the West Plains. 

Last November, the cooperative bought for $9 million the former Ambassadors Group building, which has 133,000 square feet of space and is located at 2001 S. Flint Road, just north of Spokane International Airport. 

Northwest Farm Credit currently leases a 61,000-square-foot space at 1700 S. Assembly here, as well as a second location at 1515 Technology Blvd. in Airway Heights. The cooperative employs a total of 280 people at the two offices and will consolidate its operations here in the building on Flint Road after the remodel. 

Linda Hendricksen, the organization’s senior vice president of marketing and public affairs, says of the new space, “We wanted to redesign the building to better suit our needs. This mostly involves changes to office layout and building entrances.” 

Hendricksen says the company has been working with Wolfe Architectural Group PS and Design Source Inc., both of Spokane, to come up with a design that improves the building’s layout and creates a better workflow. 

“This location will also be our customer branch, so there will be a larger focus on making it a place for our customers to visit,” she says. 

The cooperative has yet to secure a contractor for the remodel, but it hopes to start work on the improvements as soon as one is selected. The company expects to be able to complete the work and move into the building by next August. 

Northwest Farm Credit is part of a nationwide group of cooperatives that provides financing as well as other services to farms, ranches, and natural resource businesses. The co-op is celebrating 100 years of service this year. 

In addition to its 12 branch offices in Washington, the co-op has 11 in Oregon and 10 each in Idaho and Montana.