Benchmark Construction & Development Inc., of Coeur d'Alene, is building an 8,000-square-foot funeral home on a 1.2-acre site in Post Falls that's expected to open later this year.

The facility, at 3398 E. Jenalan Ave., next to the Northern Idaho Advanced Care Hospital, will do business as Bell Tower Funeral Home & Crematory. It will have a chapel with seating for more than 200 people; two viewing rooms; a showroom for caskets, urns, plaques and grave markers; and an on-site crematory, says Rob Clark, Benchmark's owner, and part-owner in the new funeral home.

A building permit issued in August valued the project at $679,000, but Clark says the total project cost likely will be around $1.2 million.

Zane Architecture PLLC, of Post Falls, designed the project.

Clark says he and his wife, Nancy, of Post Falls; his parents, Kip and Sandra Clark, of Coeur d'Alene; and Roger and Lisa Argo will own the funeral home. Roger Argo formerly was with English Funeral Chapels & Crematory, in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls. He will serve as the facility's funeral director, and the Clarks all will work there. Rob Clark says he and his father are pursuing funeral director licensing. They don't plan to hire any other employees when they open, but may add staff at a later date, he says.

Clark says the family's interest in the funeral home business began through friends in Oregon who have owned a funeral home for 70 years.

"Their business has always intrigued me," he says. "I like to help people. With a funeral home, you get to assist them through tragedy and trial any way you can."

The Clarks are building the facility in Post Falls because they believe there is a need for such services in that area.

"I've been working on this intensively for four years. I've done extensive studies and research, and felt there was a good demand for it here," Clark says. English Funeral Chapels is the only other facility offering funeral services in Post Falls.

Clark says he has owned Benchmark Construction since 2000, and has worked in the construction industry for 20 years. He says he intends to continue to own Benchmark Construction, but will turn over daily operations to his staff.