Jim DeWalt retired in May, concluding a 23-year run as president and CEO of Spokane-based Associated Industries.

The University District has spent the last several years laying the groundwork for the next phase of development to transform the district into a regional hub for innovation, workforce development, and entrepreneurship.

Several commercial projects on Sprague Avenue are creating a hotspot of construction activity on the thoroughfare. Collectively valued at $4.75 million, developments include projects for new office space, a restaurant, a liquor store, and a grocery store, according to permit information on file in the cities of Spokane and Spokane Valley.