Mike McLean

Promoting CONSTRUCTION

Jim Elmer to head up national association's board next year, to promote competition

May 21, 2009

Even though the construction industry is in the midst of a national slowdown, longtime Spokane general contractor Jim Elmer knows he's going to be busy next year.Elmer, president of James W. Elmer Construction Co., is chairman-elect of the & a a

Rendering courtesy of NAC/Architecture Inc.

Spokane Schools starts capital project schedule

Design firms to be picked this summer for several big projects

May 21, 2009

Mike McLean

Before the year is out, construction or design work will have started on Spokane Public Schools projects with a total estimated cost of $18 million, and the school district says it will select architects this summer that will start design work next

Gas station owner buys ex-Mercedes land

Family-owned company wants to lease out entire block at Third, Monroe

May 21, 2009

Mike McLean

The company that owns Thompson's Chevron, at Third Avenue and Monroe Street, has acquired the former Mercedes-Benz dealership property next door, and says it's looking for a tenant to take the entire block.The family-owned concern, F.A.T. Family

Developer plans 73 lots in River Bluff area

Project value likely to top $36 million for big rural cluster northwest of city

May 21, 2009

Mike McLean

A developer of upscale residential subdivisions north of Spokane says he plans to divide 763 acres into 73 lots for single-family residences that are expected to have a total combined value of more than $36 million when completed. A substantial of

Creating new flavors of coolness

May 21, 2009

Mike McLean

Brain Freeze Creamery of Spokane is so small, it's almost a secret. The wholesale small-batch ice cream maker is hidden in a 500-square-foot space below the Spokane office of Thomas, Dean & Hoskins Inc. engineering consultants, at 300 E. get you

Prosthetics concern plans office project

$2 million structure will provide added fabrication space, fitting rooms for patients

May 21, 2009

Mike McLean

The owners of Thompson Custom Orthotics & Prosthetics Inc., of Spokane, plan to develop a $2 million office and production facility that will more than double the floor space the 30-year-old company occupies at its current main location.Jim who,

Real Estate Roundup

May 7, 2009

Mike McLean

Miller's Towing Service LLC, a new Spokane Valley towing and vehicle-storage service, has leased 2,200 square feet of warehouse space at 110 N. Dale. Snookie Anderson and Mike King, both of Stonemark Real Estate Co., handled the Real Estate-North &

SBA lenders seeing boost due to stimulus incentives

Fee waiver encourages rise in loan applications after slow start to year

May 7, 2009

Mike McLean

Some lenders participating in the U.S. Small Business Administration's Spokane District loan programs say they expect loan volume to take off, following a dismal start to the year.The Spokane-based Northwest Business Development Association is a

Foreclosures here low on national scale

Despite increase in filings, county's tiny default rate ranks among best in U.S

May 7, 2009

Mike McLean

Despite a one-third increase in foreclosure actions in the first quarter compared with the year-earlier period, Spokane County's default rate was among the lowest in the U.S.'s metropolitan areas, says RealtyTrac, a national foreclosure data the of

Despite recession, West Plains continues to grow

Houses, hotels, wastewater plant amid host of projects planned or under way there

May 7, 2009

Mike McLean

The West Plains has an array of commercial and residential construction projects that are moving ahead, despite the anchor-dragging effects of the recession, and developers and builders say a number of pending or stalled projects could resume when