Special Report

Avista begins renovation work at Huntington Park

Enhancements designed to provide better access, more park-like amenities

July 18, 2013

Avista Corp., of Spokane, says it has launched an eight-month, $2 million project to renovate land it owns south and west of Avista Utilities' Post Street substation in downtown Spokane.The area, known as Huntington Park, is named for the third

Valley plans to add online features to its permit system

Upgrades will enable builders to submit some applications remotely

July 18, 2013

Mike McLean

The city of Spokane Valley is implementing high-tech features in its permitting system that soon will enable builders and contractors to apply for and track certain building permits online, says Doug Powell, the city's building official.Spokane

$5 million project planned at Fred Meyer along Thor

Remodel is slated to start at beginning of new year, wrap up by next summer

July 18, 2013

Jessica Valencia

Portland-based Fred Meyer Stores is planning a $5 million interior remodel of its store at 400 S. Thor, with construction expected to start around the first of the year, says Bellevue, Wash.-based company spokeswoman Amanda Ip. Although still in

Hart Field athletic complex facility upgrades under way

Schimmels begins project on school district property near Jefferson Elementary

July 18, 2013

Treva Lind

Schimmels Construction Inc., of Spokane, recently began work on a $6.6 million job to renovate athletic facilities at Hart Field, located north of 37th Avenue between the current and future Jefferson Elementary School sites.Hart Field is the for

Greenstone seeks permits for another 28 townhomes

Developer expects to file for 30 more residential units later this summer

July 18, 2013

Mike McLean

Liberty Lake-based real estate development company Greenstone Corp. has submitted building permit applications for 28 town-house units in the Kendall Yards urban village development northwest of downtown, says Drew Benato, manager of Greenstone's a

Construction posts low jobless rate

Every industry segment added workers; officials foresee possible shortage

July 18, 2013

The unemployment rate for construction workers fell below double digits in June for the first time since 2008 as every segment of the industry added employees, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of

Modular builder taps new markets

Stratford starts to take on more commercial projects than single-family homes

July 18, 2013

Mike McLean

Stratford Building Corp., of Rathdrum, which operates a 55,000-square-foot factory complex, expects 2013 to be a banner sales year after having gained footholds in new construction-market sectors during the recession, says John Davis, the company's

Medical office upswing

Builders say health-care providers here appear to be more confident

July 18, 2013

Treva Lind

Spokane-based contractors say they've seen requests to build new medical and dental office spaces increase significantly in recent months, including about a dozen projects in the works and others entering the design phase.Combined, the projects

Brain-preserving method not being used often in hospitals

Therapeutic hypothermia shown to improve survival in cardiac arrest sufferers

July 3, 2013

News Wise

The brain-preserving cooling treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia is rarely being used in patients who suffer cardiac arrest while in the hospital, despite its proven potential to improve survival and neurological function, researchers from a

More contact said to result in fewer hospital re-entries

Care transition program involves interactions both before, after discharges

July 3, 2013

News Wise

Personal contact with patients before and after their hospital discharge resulted in significantly lower readmission rates, says a study conducted by the Bronx Collaborative, a group of hospitals and health insurers in Bronx, N.Y.The results in