Spokane Valley City Council to buy site for city hall

The Spokane Valley City Council decided Tuesday evening to move ahead with a plan to purchase land on the southeast corner of Sprague Avenue and Dartmouth Road, the west end of the University City Mall, for the possible construction of a city hall.

The site is 3.38 acres and the price would be nearly $1.3 million, or $7.65 per square foot, plus standard closing costs.

There are no buildings on this site except a parking structure with a ramp that straddles the site’s boundary. The seller, Coeur d’Alene-based Dartmouth, LLC, which is owned by H. James Magnuson, agrees to tear down the parking structure and ramp as part of the deal.

Funding for the purchase will come from the Civic Facilities Capital Projects Fund and the Capital Reserve Fund, said City Attorney Cary Driskell, who also told the council that acquiring the site would require an amendment to the 2015 budget. 

Whether to build a new city hall and where to locate it has been a source of discussion since Spokane Valley incorporated in 2003. Over the years, many different plans have been put forth – including a 2013 plan to purchase the former Crescent department store and remodel that building, as well as another plan to build a city hall in the parking lot of the former Yoke’s at Sprague and Progress Road, and yet another idea to locate all city services near CenterPlace and Mirabeau Park.

Part of the discussion has always been whether to co-locate city hall with the Spokane Valley Police Precinct or perhaps with Spokane Valley Partners.

With that in mind, council member Ben Wick said he thought this piece of realty is too small.

“I would like for us to purchase a bigger area – we should have room for growth and open space,” Wick said. “We are hamstringing ourselves. We should make this a true 100-year place.” He added that he likes the location because it’s near the Appleway Trail and across the street from Balfour Park.

Another frequently discussed issue has been whether to purchase and remodel an old building or to build a new city hall from scratch. Last year, building consultants cautioned the City Council against purchasing the former Crescent building because it would need too much expensive work – potential asbestos removal, rewiring, windows would have to be cut in the concrete walls – to function as a city hall. New construction can be built to suit the city’s needs and may be cheaper.

 “This is the best option for the city,” said Mayor Dean Grafos.  “We can buy this land and construct a city hall for the same amount of money as we pay in rent here.”

Wick was the sole opponent to the purchase. Closing is expected in mid-January.