A $1.5 million project to remodel the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena’s ticket and administrative offices at 720 W. Mallon is scheduled to start this month.

The administrative offices are home to the Spokane Public Facilities District. 

Dardan Enterprises, of Post Falls, is the general contractor on the project, and NAC|Architecture PS, of Spokane, designed the improvements. MW Consulting Engineers PS, also of Spokane, is the project engineer.

Doug Heyamoto, an associate principal and project manager for NAC, says the majority of the remodeling will occur in the 15,600-square-foot work space occupied by PFD staff, including a partial second floor that includes some administrative offices and isn’t visible to the public. 

“It’s going to be a complete re-do,” Heyamoto says. “Our primary goal is to increase space and make it more efficient.”

“We’re going to open the structure up considerably,” he say. “We’re going to remove ceilings and expose existing wood columns and beams. That improves air flow and creates more light. Ultimately, we want to make it a more lively work space and bring it to life.”

The work also will include making the building more energy efficient.  

“There is some ability to improve the building’s thermal performance,” he says.

What will be most notable to the public is the replacement of the ticket and office entrances. Signage will more effectively differentiate the administrative space from the ticket office because visitors mistake the two, something that has been a frequent occurrence since the arena opened, Heyamoto says.

A reconfiguration of the sidewalk leading to the ticket office and improved landscaping also will be part of the arena’s overall south side facelift. 

Work is scheduled to start Oct. 12 and finish at the end of February. In the meantime, both the administrative and ticket offices have been relocated to another part of the arena, Heyamoto says.