The Dirt: Four-story apartments planned for Logan neighborhood

Developers are planning two apartment buildings along Baldwin Avenue near the intersection with Ruby Street, according to permits submitted to the city of Spokane.

The development would include 60 apartments in the two buildings.

One of the three properties involved has been home to Accent Fiberglass, owned by Donald and Patricia Murray. The other two properties are owned by Kent Ohland, one of which houses Kent’s Canoes and Kayaks. The other is a single family residential property, according to Spokane County property records.

All existing structures on the lots would be demolished , according to site plans.

The Murrays and Ohland are working together to develop their properties as they prepare for retirement, according to Cameron Golightly, principal and managing partner at project designer Studio+ Architects.

“They are not big developers,” Golightly said. “They’ve operated their businesses adjacent to one another their entire lives. Now they’re moving into retirement.”

At 130 E. Baldwin Ave., the Baldwin Apartments will include two four-story buildings. The smaller of the two structures will have a footprint of about 3,600 square feet and offer 16 two-bedroom units.

The larger building will measure about 6,500 square feet for each floor and consist of 44 one-bedroom units.

The estimated cost of construction is $5 million, development documents show.

The project was not affected by the South Logan Transit-Oriented Development, according to Golightly.

That initiative is still being developed by city workers that if approved by the Spokane City Council, will alter building codes in the area, especially near Gonzaga University.

The intent is to bring more goods, services and residential opportunities to the area along with pedestrian and bicycle-oriented streets. This will, “enhance neighborhood access to resources, supporting local economic growth and resiliency,” according to the city of Spokane’s website.

Though the Baldwin Apartments fall just outside of the city’s plans for the Logan Neighborhood, Golightly anticipates Gonzaga University students will occupy much of the building.

“There very well may be small families or professors living there, but obviously a lot of Gonzaga students will,” he said, “but we have no target market for the project.”

No contractor has been hired yet, he said.

Bank of America remodel

Much of the space in the Bank of America location on Spokane’s South Hill will be revamped, according to plans submitted to the city of Spokane.

At the intersection of Southeast Boulevard and 29th Avenue, the roughly 4,000-square-foot space has been a Bank of America location for more than a decade, according to Spokane County property records.

The bank shares the building at 2508 E. 29th Ave., with Panda Express, H&R Block and Oasis Hair Co.

Plans submitted to the city of Spokane show the project will include the demolition of almost the entirety of the existing interior including private offices, the lobby, bathrooms and staff-only areas.

The new design features a more open concept. The lobby will be expanded to bring more seating and meeting areas. Private offices will receive an upgrade and additional offices will be added. Added conference rooms are planned, as is an improved bank vault.

Additional automated teller machines will be offered on the lobby floor along with better signage and improved infrastructure for disabled customers, plans show.

The estimated cost of the project is about $480,000.

Nelson Worldwide, a New York City firm, designed the project.

New grocery and liquor store for South Hill

Developers are planning to remodel a building that was previously the location of Owens Auction House into new retail space, according to plans submitted to the city of Spokane.

At 3204 E. 17th Ave., the roughly 2-acre property was purchased for $2.2 million in September by Gurjot Bains, Gurchait Bains, Jagdish Bains and Amandeep Kaur, according to Spokane County property records.

Immediately southwest of the intersection of Ray Street and 17th Avenue, developers are planning to turn the roughly 14,600-square-foot building into South Hill Grocery and Liquor, plans show.

The effort is estimated to cost about $200,000, according to plans.

No contractor is listed in construction documents. Spokane-based Russell Page Architects designed the project.

The developers could not immediately be reached last week.