Dirt: New retail shop planned for North Monroe District

In an area teeming with retail storefronts, there is still room for more.

On a vacant lot at 2901 N. Monroe St., a permit application has been submitted to the city of Spokane to construct a retail building.

The one-story structure will encompass 2,706 square feet and cost around $200,000, according to application documents.

The building is owned by Jim and Jodie Orcutt. Jim, a commercial leasing broker at Spokane-based real estate brokerage firm NAI Black, said many details are still to be determined about the project.

“We don’t have a permit from the city or approval, so it is still preliminary right now,” Orcutt said.

Orcutt is unsure what type of retailer he and his wife will lease the space to, he said.

On the NAI Black website, the property is listed as a built-to-suit restaurant.

Photo renderings of the proposed project show a covered patio area.

The development is not the couple’s only involvement with the business district.

The couple also owns numerous properties in the area. Two locations, at 2814 N. Monroe St. and 3107 N. Monroe St., are listed for lease. Businesses on the properties include Corbin Park Cleaners and Marilyn’s on Monroe.

Fire damaged Hangar replacement

Plans have been approved by the city of Spokane Valley to rebuild a private hangar that was damaged by a fire in 2022.

The blaze attracted a fleet of Spokane and Spokane Valley fire department vehicles to the location at Felts Field Airport, according to previous Spokesman-Review reports.

According to plans submitted to the city, the new hangar will be named the Ingraham Hangar after its owner, Randy Ingraham.

Ingraham is a part-owner of Longhorn Barbecue. He could not be immediately be reached by phone Thursday.

The 6,880-square-foot building is estimated to cost $50,000 dollars.

No contractor was listed on permit application documents.

Spokane-based Russel Page Architects will design the building.

Cemetery plan approved by city

A permit application was approved Wednesday by Spokane County to modernize a portion of the Riverside Memorial Park cemetery.

Plans include a small event space, fire pits encircled with Adirondack chairs and gardens.

Before construction can begin, the plans must be approved by the Fairmont Memorial Association Board.

The project will be discussed and potentially approved at the group’s meeting on Tuesday, according to David Ittner, CEO of the Fairmount Memorial Association.

Ittner said the project is a modernization of the end-of-life service industry.

The $2 million project, at 508 N. Government Way, will encompass about 7 acres of the 56-acre property and be completed in multiple phases, Ittner said.

For the past five years, Ittner has worked on the project.

He completed smaller projects at other cemeteries in the area including the construction of two fire pits and a cremation garden at the Pine Cemetery in Spokane Valley.

Demand for gathering spaces at cemeteries is a growing concept, Ittner said.

“We see it all the time, people putting out lawn chairs and sharing some beers or a meal with their loved one,” he said. “And, we already put on events where we invite customers in for events and opportunities that aren’t sad and overwhelming but celebrate the lives of their loved ones.”

Instead of sitting next to a gravestone to spend time with the deceased, people can be more comfortable if the project is completed.

“This will be a place where you can enjoy your time and want to come back,” he said. “You can be spending time with their loved ones sitting by a gas fire pit with a coffee or cocoa in a pleasant, landscaped setting.”