A new retail development, Deer Heights Crossings, is proposed on the West Plains, at the southeast corner of Deer Heights Road and U.S. 2, according to a pre-development conference application on file with the city of Spokane.

Preliminary site plans show the development site is located just east of Village Centre Cinemas Airway Heights theater complex and just south and across U.S. 2 from North 40 Outfitters retail store.

Spokane Valley-based architect Mercier Architecture & Planning has filed the pre-development application for the proposed retail development on 3.4 acres of undeveloped land.

The site plan shows a total of six structures would have about 22,500 square feet of retail space in all, along with landscaping, lighting, paving, storm water mitigation, and screened refuse areas.

No cost estimate is provided on the application. By comparison, however, the 56,000-square-foot Hayford Crossing retail center, about a mile west of the Deer Heights Crossings site, cost about $12 million to develop a few years ago.

The site plan shows six structures with 15,000 square feet of retail space, 4,500 square feet of quick-service restaurant space, and a 3,000-square-foot bank. Three retail buildings will have about 5,000 square feet of space each, located along the southern boundary of the property. North of those buildings, two restaurant buildings with drive-thru lanes will have 2,000 to 2,500 square feet of space.

Over 100 parking spots are also shown on the site plan for the entire development.

Spokane-based West Plains Investments LLC owns the property, according to the Spokane County Assessor’s Office. West Plains Investments is governed by Dick Vandervert, who also owns Vandervert Developments Inc., of Spokane.

Leasing and marketing representative Debbie Cozzetto, of Vandervert Developments LLC, says in an emailed statement the site is currently undergoing lot-line adjustments for the potential development of the property. She declines further comment.

Project updates:

•Dan Cantu, a Spokane-area commercial real estate broker, says he’s expecting permit approval by the city of Spokane for site work to begin for a planned airdome sports practice facility at 3939 E. Joseph, in Spokane’s Hillyard neighborhood.

Permitting delays, followed by inclement weather, held up the construction of the facility last fall, and Cantu says he put the project on hold until spring to provide more information to the city of Spokane and for better weather conditions.

Cantu says the city of Spokane has estimated the project value at upward of $1.5 million. The 40,000-square-foot airdome has been held in storage since last summer at the Illinois-based manufacturer Airzon Building Systems. Continued storage fees have added about $500 in monthly charges to the project, Cantu says.

Cantu, who also owns Cantu Commercial Properties in Spokane, will be the contractor for the project. TD&H Engineering is providing civil engineering services.

“I’m anxious to get going, but at the same token, I’m not, because we’ll be entering a slow time due to good weather outside and not really a need for an indoor practice space,” he says.

Cantu says he anticipates the project will be complete by September, which is better suited for indoor sports practice needs and aligns with the beginning of the school year. The structure will take one to two weeks to build after it arrives on site.

•Pur Laundry LLC, a Wilsonville, Oregon-based self-service laundry company, is planning to open a second location at 3916 N. Division, in Spokane, says the company’s chief operating officer Rich Boyd.

The 5,600-square-foot coinless laundromat will cost about $1.5 million, says Boyd. The company also will need to add five employees, for a total of 10, to rotate between its Spokane Valley location and the Division store.

Boyd says the company’s washing machines are energy efficient with a G-force of 450, which helps with water removal and drying times.

The Division store will be the third Pur Laundry facility for the company. Boyd says his goal for Pur Laundry, which he operates with business partner and company CEO Travis Cromwell, will be to eventually open 10 stores throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Like this story?

You’ll love the rest. Subscribe today, and you’ll receive a year’s subscription to the Journal of Business, unlimited access to this website, daily business news emails, and weekly industry-specific
e-newsletters. Click here for 50% off your first year.