Government

PFD turns its attention to arena upgrades

Metal detectors, new suite among eyed improvements

June 2, 2016

Spokane Public Facilities District officials say they are shifting their focus, which in recent years has been on projects at the Spokane Convention Center, to Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. 'We've always got an ongoing list of projects requiring r

Spokane Transit Authority starts $5 million bus plaza renovation in core

Walker expected to finish two-phase project in '17

June 2, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

The Spokane Transit Authority's downtown bus plaza is in the midst of a two-phase remodeling project that began in May and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2017. The project is estimated to cost almost $5 million, including design, enginee

City of Spokane to begin $8.7 million in summer street projects

WSDOT has additional jobs worth $4.6 million in works

June 2, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

The city of Spokane is in the midst of a busy construction season, working to complete street projects totaling about $8.7 million. City spokeswoman Julie Happy says that starting in mid-June, a section of 37th Avenue from Regal Street to Custer Stree

Spate of highway projects in works in North Idaho

ITD recently has awarded $12.4 million in contracts

June 2, 2016

Mike McLean

The Idaho Transportation Department recently has awarded contracts totaling $12.4 million for highway projects now in their early construction stages in North Idaho, says Marvin Fenn, the department's Coeur d'Alene-based District 1 engineering manager

Integrus Architecture: Public works by design

Integrus seeks skilled architects, hopes to strengthen expertise

May 19, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Integrus Architecture PS, of Spokane, is keeping a strong focus on public works projects, particularly those for higher education facilities. The firm is looking to build on its design expertise even as it faces a shortage of skilled architects to add to

Northwest Farm Credit reports drop in earnings

Co-op says decline due to changing loan portfolio

May 19, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane-based Northwest Farm Credit Services has reported first-quarter earnings of $58.4 million, down 7 percent from $63.1 million for the 2015 first quarter. The Spokane-based agricultural lending cooperative attributed the decrease to sizable loan r

Astronauts review Fairchild's water survival training

NASA interest tied to new ocean-landing capsules

May 19, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration sent three astronauts to Fairchild Air Force Base last month to review the U.S Air Force's Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Water Survival Course, known as SERE. A recent article in the Fairch

Spokane Transit Authority plans new design for West Plains project

Changes reduce center's projected cost by $4 million

May 5, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

The Spokane Transit Authority's board of directors recently approved a change in design plans for the planned West Plains Transit Center project that has reduced its projected cost. The project originally was anticipated to have a total cost of $16.2

Graham Construction awarded $1.6 million airport project

Convenience store work also to begin this summer

April 21, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane Airports has awarded Spokane-based Graham Construction & Management Inc. a $1.6 million contract for a parking operations garage at Spokane International Airport. Work is set to begin this month. The garage is expected to include about 6,400 sq

Airway Heights ordinances invalid, appeals court rules

Unanimous opinion weighs against housing near base

April 21, 2016

Kim Crompton

A Washington state appellate court panel here has ruled that the Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board acted properly when it invalidated ordinances adopted by the city of Airway Heights that would have allowed more multifamily housing near