Amy Edelen: The Dirt: WSU renovating building on health sciences campus in University District; Seattle Sun Tan expanding to Spokane
Feb. 6—Washington State University is embarking on the first phase of renovations to a building in the University District to expand academic programs and research.
WSU filed a pre-development application with the city to remodel an existing three-story, 113,770-square-foot building on its health sciences campus at 668 N. Riverpoint Blvd.
The renovated space will primarily support the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and will include classrooms, study rooms and academic offices. WSU campus security will also be relocated to the building, according to the application.
Existing classrooms on the building's first floor and offices on the third level will undergo upgrades. An 2,200-square-foot existing lecture hall will be demolished as part of the project.
WSU was awarded $15 million via a state capital budget request for the project, according to the university's website.
Renovation of the building will "relieve building pressure amassing on campus as academic programs and research activity swells and will support additional academic programming in the health sciences," WSU said in capital budget request documents.
The building previously housed Eastern Washington University's arts, culture, business and administration programs.
Portland, Oregon-based Hennebery Eddy Architects Inc. is designing the remodel, according to the application. A project contractor was not specified in the application.
Seattle Sun Tan coming to Spokane
Seattle Sun Tan is expanding to the Spokane area with a new salon in a space formerly occupied by Blaze Pizza on Division Street.
Seattle-based architecture firm, Smith Co., filed a building permit application with the city to change use of the 2,570-square-foot space from restaurant to tanning salon in Cataldo Square at 926 N. Division St.
The project valuation is $100,000, according to the application.
Seattle Sun Tan, founded in 2004, offers sun bed and sunless tanning, in addition to anti-aging and wellness services. It has 34 locations in the state.
Aero Center project moves forward
The Spokane Airport Board is moving forward with plans for Aero Center Spokane, a new full-service, fixed-based operator.
The airport board filed a pre-development application with the city to build a 5,200-square-foot terminal that will be connected to a 15,000-square-foot aircraft storage hangar.
The project also calls for a separate, 10,000-square-foot aircraft maintenance hangar at 8150 W. Pilot Dr.
The site is located on land owned by Spokane International Airport.
Tarpon Springs, Florida-based Sandbar Architecture is designing the project, which is estimated to cost between $5 million and $6 million, according to the application.
The Spokane Airport Board in November authorized a lease agreement with Marathon FBO Partners GEG LLC, a subsidiary of the Florida-based aviation investment company SAR Trilogy Management, to establish Aero Center Spokane.
Aero Center Spokane's services will include aircraft fueling, office/hangar rentals, line services and maintenance support to the area's aviation community, according to a Spokesman-Review article published in November.
Aero Center Spokane also plans to partner with local businesses for other amenities including aircraft management and charter services, flight training and aircraft sales, according to the article.
