Special Report

Rethinking affordable housing in Spokane County

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane County's housing crisis is now at a tipping point that demands bold thinking.

Groundworks to open Liberty Lake office

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Groundworks LLC, a national foundation repair company, is expanding to Liberty Lake in October, where the company will increase its coverage area to service roughly 360,000 single-family homes across Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

Around Town: July 16

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Rehabilitation hospital planned in Post Falls

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Encompass Health Corp., a Birmingham, Alabama-based healthcare provider, is planning to build a new 50-bed rehabilitation hospital in Post Falls.

City of Medical Lake secures Waterfront Park

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The city of Medical Lake is planning to expand recreation, tourism, and economic development opportunities after assuming ownership of 60 acres of land, including Waterfront Park and portions of the Medical Lake trail system.

Hug Construction acquires contracting company

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane Valley-based general contractor Hug Services Inc., which does business as Hug Construction, has acquired Construction Associates of Spokane Inc., a Spokane-based commercial general contracting company.

Together Spokane creates new pipeline of work

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Construction is underway on new synthetic turf athletic fields at a pair of Spokane high schools, part of the Together Spokane initiative that is expected to bring stability for architects, engineers, and contractors in the region.

Stable INW demand meets disappearing supply

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

As the books closed on the second quarter of 2026, Spokane's commercial real estate market wasn't booming, and it wasn't breaking. It was holding.

OneAEC to join national marketing group SMPS

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

OneAEC, a Spokane-based nonprofit serving architecture, engineering, and construction professionals, is preparing to transition into a new regional chapter of Alexandria, Virginia-based Society for Marketing Professional Services in 2027.

Location changes your buying power

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

In the residential real estate sector, crossing the million-dollar purchase threshold in the Northwest varies widely across different markets.

Providence reorganizes behavioral health staffing

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

As behavioral health patients at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center age and their medical needs grow more complex, the hospital is redesigning its staffing strategy for inpatient psychiatric services.

Whitworth launches new four-year nursing program

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Whitworth University will launch its new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in fall 2027 to address the growing need for trained nurses across the Pacific Northwest.

Aging adults exceed capacity for care

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Washington state is on the leading edge of a demographic shift that is placing pressure on senior housing providers, long-term care operators, healthcare systems, and developers as the state's aging population grows substantially faster than the workforce and housing inventory needed to support it.

Strategic partnership reaches into communities

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Ten years ago, when the University of Washington and Gonzaga University announced a strategic partnership to expand health sciences education in Spokane, they were met with community and legislative support.

Secure noncompetes with strategic ownership

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

As of June 30, 2027, Washington state law will prohibit noncompetition covenants in most employment and independent contractor relationships.

Advising needs are ramping up amid silver tsunami

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Driven by a silver tsunami of retiring baby boomers, Spokane-based Stewardship Concepts Financial Services LLC has seen its assets under management surge from $78 million in 2024 to $200 million in April 2026, says Noah Schwab, co-owner and certified financial planner at Stewardship Concepts.

Auto loan volumes increase despite price hikes

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Even as higher vehicle prices, insurance premiums, and borrowing costs continue to squeeze household budgets, Spokane-area lenders say auto loan activity is picking up this year as customers refinance existing loans, stretch payment terms, and hunt for more affordable vehicles.

Guest analysis: Local exports show a tale of two states

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Exporting from the Spokane area is an activity we don’t hear much about these days. One of the reasons lies in the demise of the International Trade Alliance, which for years promoted local businesses to go global. Another reason is that not much has changed in exports over the past 10 years, at least for Spokane.

AI frenzy fuels rise in venture capital activity

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

A surge in artificial intelligence investment is reshaping the venture capital landscape, driving record valuations and deal sizes while creating new challenges for startups that aren't centered on AI technology.

CM Development plans two multifamily projects

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane-based CM Development & Construction LLC, a developer behind several multifamily projects under construction in Spokane, is planning two new apartment complexes valued at a combined $6.8 million.

Microgrid installation activates at MLK Center

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Avista Utilities, the operating division of Spokane-based Avista Corp., has launched the region’s first community-based microgrid at the Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center, in Spokane's East Central neighborhood.

Airport begins second phase of TREX program

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane International Airport is in the process of relocating key utilities, setting the stage for the second phase of its Terminal Renovation and Expansion, or TREX program, which aims to build a 255,000-square-foot Central Hall.

SCCU expansion includes new community space

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane City Credit Union is planning a new administrative annex building next to its existing property, at 1930 N. Monroe, that will provide more space for its employees.

Jacklin Northwest plans Post Falls retail center

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Jacklin Northwest is in the planning stages of developing a new shopping center at Jacklin Ranch Commercial Park, an 88-acre site just east of Highway 41 and north of Prairie Avenue in Post Falls.

West Plains business park hits holding pattern

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The developer behind a proposed eight-unit flex warehouse park, at 9870 W. Flight Drive on the West Plains, is placing the project on hold following declining tenant interest due to higher interest rates, rising material costs, and uncertain market conditions this year.

New church building under development in Cheney

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Westside Church Spokane is building a $2.2 million, 12,000-square-foot sanctuary at 11916 W. Melville Road, in Cheney, that will provide a permanent home for the congregation.

Around Town: June 4

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane-area builders face higher expenses

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The construction industry is currently facing a significant surge in expenses driven by rising material costs, fuel prices, and complex regulatory requirements leading to challenges in balancing tighter margins with affordability, some builders say.

Public Defender building is under contract

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The city of Spokane is preparing to bolster its general fund by $2.1 million following the sale of its 11,800-square-foot North Monroe Public Defender Building. The deal, which is expected to close this month, is under contract for purchase by Ryan Best, of Spokane-based Best Law PLLC, and Beth Pierce according to a 14 page sale and lease agreement on file with the city.

Entrepreneur turns business success into legacy

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 21 May 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Since launching The Genova Foundation in February 2025, Mike and Sandi Genova have awarded or pledged $1.2 million in grants to nonprofits with initiatives in health care, youth, and economic development.