Mike McLean

Increasing efficiency through technology

McKinstry debuts 'robotic total station' to improve building system installations

April 21, 2016

Construction and energy efficiency contractor McKinstry Co. is introducing a technology to the Spokane market that reduces installation time for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, says Gary McManus, a senior project manager for the Spokane oper

Moving on up at Summit

First Summit Tower living units ready to occupy

April 21, 2016

Mike McLean

As of last week Rockwood Retirement Communities representatives felt they were within days of obtaining occupancy permits to begin moving residents into the second through fourth floors of the new $51 million, 11-story Summit Tower on the Rockwood South H

Three Maverik c-stores planned here, filings show

Work proposed to start as early as this summer

April 21, 2016

Mike McLean

Maverik Inc., the Salt Lake City-based convenience store and gas station chain, plans to construct three new Spokane-area outlets as soon as this summer, preliminary applications on file with the cities of Spokane and Spokane Valley show. The Maverik out

Bobby Brett-led group acquires Madison Apartments in downtown Spokane

Plans to join improvement efforts for 'little arts district'

April 21, 2016

Mike McLean

A real estate development group led by Spokane sports team owner Bobby Brett has bought for $3.4 million the Madison Apartments building, at the southeast corner of Madison Street and First Avenue downtown. The five-story building has 68 apartment units

Inland Northwest ski resorts rebound

Adequate snowpack squelches slide in skier visits

April 21, 2016

Mike McLean

Five Inland Northwest ski resorts are coming off much-improved seasons following the disastrous 2014-15 snow-drought season. Brad McQuarrie, general manager at Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, says the park 30 miles north of Spokane had many outstanding

Project plans swell at Catholic Charities of Spokane

Goals include apartments for all Spokane homeless

April 21, 2016

Mike McLean

Catholic Charities of Spokane and its housing partners plan to break ground this year on multiple developments with a construction value approaching $60 million that would provide nearly 500 low-income apartment units in the Spokane area. Preliminary pla

Baker starts constructing retail project north of 'Y'

Aspen Dental, Mod Pizza, Wells Fargo to be tenants

April 7, 2016

Mike McLean

Baker Construction & Development Inc., of Spokane, has obtained building permits to construct Heritage North, a 10,000-square-foot, three-tenant retail building that will replace two, nearly 40-year-old buildings at 9405 N. Newport Highway. Prominent Spo

Fruci firm buys former Keller Williams building

Move from longtime site downtown planned in fall

April 7, 2016

Mike McLean

Spokane accounting firm Fruci & Associates PS has bought for $1.9 million the 14,300-square-foot, single-story office building at 802 N. Washington that formerly was occupied by Keller Williams Realty Spokane. The firm plans to move there from the Fruci B

Panhandle EXPANSION

Credit union plans to construct new Post Falls, Hayden branches

April 7, 2016

Mike McLean

Southern Idaho-based Idaho Central Credit Union has just one modest branch in North Idaho, but the credit union has big growth plans there, just as it's enjoying consistent strong performance across the financial cooperative, says Coeur d'Alene branch

Landing a drone hub

Kootenai County growing autonomous-vehicle tech sector

April 7, 2016

Mike McLean

Efforts are underway to lift the status of Kootenai County as a national hub for drone technology. Brad Ward, president of Hayden-based Empire Unmanned LLC, contends the Hayden, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, and Rathdrum area has a collaborative edge ov