Special Report

Adams Elementary School project update

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

D. Lish's Burgers eyes second location in Idaho

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Residents in Post Falls will soon be able to purchase D. Lish’s Burgers without needing to cross the Washington-Idaho state border as the popular Spokane counter service restaurant plans a second location at the Prairie Crossing Shopping Center.

STA board approves renovation budget for Plaza

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane Transit Authority’s board of directors has approved an $8.3 million capital budget for an upcoming STA Plaza renovation, at 701 W. Riverside, that will update the downtown facility's second floor for employees and community members.

47 South Apartments adds 108 residential units

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane-based A & A Construction & Development Inc. is planning to build an additional 108 apartment units at 47 South Apartments, a residential development near the Garden Springs Road exit off of Interstate 90.

Former Seahawks star co-founds Spokane company

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane-based Athlete Real Estate Capital LLC is partnering with a growing number of professional athletes to invest in Spokane’s multifamily real estate market and help the players grow long-term wealth.

First multifamily phase underway at Mead Works

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Liberty Lake-based development company Greenstone Corp. is getting ready to begin building the first wave of multifamily housing at the Mead Works development in north Spokane County.

Around Town: Aug. 27

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Hazardous material teams sweep fire zones

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and local crews are continuing to work through properties destroyed by the Spokane Complex Fires, removing potentially dangerous household chemicals, lithium-ion batteries, and other hazardous materials before further cleanup can move forward.

Habitat moves forward with 25-unit Valley project

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Habitat for Humanity-Spokane has a new $8 million, 25-unit affordable housing development underway at 228 S. Carnahan Road in Spokane Valley.

Loan Peak focuses on new construction homes

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

A new mortgage lender formed by Coeur d’Alene-based Lakeside Cos. and Plano, Texas-based Benchmark Mortgage will target new construction homebuyers in the Inland Northwest.

Staffing agency provides disaster relief workers

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

An Inland Northwest staffing agency has deployed dozens of workers to help with wildfire recovery efforts, as the recent Spokane Complex Fires have driven up demand for demolition and cleanup laborers.

Real estate market expectations after wildfires

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane’s tight real estate market is about to get even tighter. After years of underbuilding, the Spokane area fires destroyed 719 homes, a record for fire damage in Washington state.

Is Spokane's apartment market overbuilt?

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The apartment vacancy rate is above 8% in the Spokane area, but this percentage doesn't capture the actual experience of many multifamily property owners. In reality, the market is split here: some buildings are completely full, while others are struggling with higher vacancy.

Financial industry closes adviser gaps

karinae@spokanejournal.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Spokane’s financial planning industry is showing resilience as firms, educators, and professional organizations develop new strategies to attract and retain new people in the field.

Gesa Credit Union's growth strategy drives expansion

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Gesa Credit Union is expanding into Oregon for the first time through an agreement to acquire Salem, Oregon-based Willamette Valley Bank — a move Keven Gray, Gesa Credit Union chief retail officer, says will strengthen service for members while extending the cooperative financial institution's footprint along the Interstate 5 corridor.

Cd'A mining company finds rare mineral deposit

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Coeur d'Alene-based Idaho Strategic Resources Inc. is drawing attention from technology and aerospace manufacturers looking for a domestic supply of yttrium, one of the world's most strategically important rare earth elements.

Why the Fed doesn't set your mortgage rate

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Every time the Federal Reserve meets, I can count on the phone in my office to start ringing. On the other end are clients who saw a headline about the Fed and want to know whether the rate on the house they are buying just went up, down, or sideways. It's one of the most reasonable questions a person can ask, and the answer is almost never what they expect.

Estate taxes can catch many families off guard

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Washington has no income tax for now and that single fact gives a lot of people the wrong idea about what happens to their money when they die.

Cd'A retirement home smooths retiree transitions

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

Coeur d'Alene-based retirement community, Bestland Senior Living, helps people transition from an independent life at home to an independent living community.

Long-term care sector faces increasing pressure

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

The population of adults age 85 and older in the Spokane area is projected to nearly quadruple, rising from 10,700 in 2025 to 40,400 by 2050 — a significantly higher growth rate than any other age group over the next 25 years. As the demographic grows older, the long-term care sector is expected to face higher demand for assisted living, skilled nursing, memory care, and adult family homes, creating new opportunities — and challenges — for providers across the region.

Tax-free retirement planning through insurance

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0400

For people who want protection, flexibility, and predictable retirement income, a properly designed cash value life insurance policy — such as an Indexed Universal Life policy — paired with a Roth individual retirement account funded by a guaranteed lifetime income annuity can be a powerful planning combination.

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.