Syringa Medical Campus coming to Post Falls

The same people as behind the Northwest Speciality Hospital are planning a new major medical office project. This project will someday soon be a three building medical campus with one building site already under construction.

Here is all the details directly from the developers NISHB LLC ...

NISHB, LLC has broken ground on Building A at the new Syringa Medical Campus located on the northeast corner of Mullan Ave. and Syringa Street in Post Falls, Idaho.  The 17,000 square foot two story building is the first of three medical office buildings planned for the site.  The new buildings will complement the existing medical campus located on the south side of Mullan Ave. that includes Northwest Specialty Hospital and two medical office buildings. 

"The new campus will provide us the opportunity to accommodate additional medical service providers as the Post Falls Mullan Medical corridor continues to grow. We are tremendously excited to work with Young Construction on this development and look forward to showcasing our new building next year." said Ron Rock, senior property manager at NISHB, LLC.

The new building structure combines ground face block,  plaster veneer and metal panels to create a modern contemporary look. Suites sizes vary with nearly 7,000 square feet available to a tenant who leases the second floor of one of the buildings.  Young Construction Group of Idaho is providing design/build services for the project with Dzignworks of Hayden leading the design work.  John Young, President, Young Construction Group noted, "We're excited to be part of the team and pleased to continue our relationship with NISHB on this project."

Leasing information is available by contacting NISHB, LLC at (208) 262-2413.

Liberty Lake Safeway to become Haggen Food & Pharmacy

This year Safeway and Albertson's grocery store chains entered into a agreement to merge the two companies together. And as part of that merger, some of those companies stores must be sold to other companies, usually in places where the two chains compete directly with one another.

A buyer has stepped up, and pending approval by regulators those locations will change hands to Haggen Food & Pharmacy. Haggen , who operates their stores as Haggen Northwest Fresh is a Bellingham,Wa based chain of grocery stores with currently under 20 locations. With the new locations Haggen will grow by huge amounts practically overnight. In fact, if all the Safeway / Albertson's stores that are to be shed, do go to Haggen the chain will operate over 160 stores. Most of those also include in store pharmacy's.

While most Safeway's and Albertson's will not change brands, some will, and one locally will make the change to Haggen Northwest Fresh. That location is the Liberty Lake Safeway.

The Liberty Lake Safeway will become a Haggen grocery store after the deal closes sometime in early 2015. The store is located at 1233 N. Liberty Lake Rd. Additionally Haggen will also aquire two other stores in Eastern Washington in Wenatchee and Walla Walla. No North Idaho locations are to be effected.

Employees of the Liberty Lake Safeway will be allowed to transfer their jobs into the new Liberty Lake Haggen store.

Haggen Northwest Fresh stores are full service grocery stores with all departments including bulk foods, floral and a beer and wine department which will feature locally produced microbrews.

For more information on Haggen Northwest Fresh visit them on their website at-

www.haggen.com

104.5 Hank Fm launches in Spokane

Classic country has arrived to FM radio in Spokane. 104.5 FM has re-launched with a new format and new branding. 104.5 is now Hank FM, and is operated by Alexandria Communications using a branding that is already successful in other parts of the country, including in Walla Walla.

Prior to this new rebranding as 104.5 Hank FM the station was silent, but as many recall the station was also 104.5 Jamz. That station was operated by local business person Jamie Pendleton who caused a stir last year for the controversial drink names, etc... of his other local business the Spokane Downtown Daiquiri Factory.

For more on this new Spokane radio station take a look at this press release-

"(DECEMBER 2014) –Envision Networks^® and Kroeger Media Inc. are excited to announce Alexandra Communications’ KNHK-FM/Spokane, WA as the latest affiliate of HANK FM^®. With KNHK’s recent launch as 104.5 HANK FM^®, the station joins over 200 affiliates on the Envision Country Network. Listen to HANK FM^® at CrankTheHank.com.

“We’re excited to bring Hank FM to Spokane. We’ve seen in other markets how listeners and advertisers seem to just ‘get’ the Hank concept. We’re looking forward to a prosperous year ahead as more people crank the Hank in this area,” said KNHK General Manager Chris Gilbreth.
From the creator of the Variety Hits Format and BOB FM™, Kroeger Media’s HANK FM® is a turnkey, 24/7 variety-based country radio format that provides unique personality-driven radio for your market that is in touch with the current listening trends and methodology used by your listeners.
Similar to its Adult Hits cousin BOB FM™, HANK FM® doesn’t play by the rules. HANK breaks the mold with a unique mix of over 1000 tested titles spanning from the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s and today. This wide and unique music library can be molded into three distinct HANK flavors that can be customized to meet any market’s needs: HANK Plays Everything Country, HANK Classic Hit/Country Legends, and HANK Plays New Country.

HANK FM® offers different levels of programming packages available for both cash and barter. In addition to the rights to use the HANK name and logo, affiliates have access to a constantly updated music library, creative on-air copy and cutting-edge station imaging including voice, sweeper, promos and jingles. HANK also offers off-air support with promotional ideas, daily music logs and programming guidance. "

104.5 Hank FM is already setting up shop in Spokane. The station has ad's on Craigslist looking for advertising sales staff and a web site and social media pages are now set up.

For more information on 104.5 Hank FM visit-

http://hankspokane.com/

Or, on Facebook at...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hank-Spokane/1523606844586203

Frontier Airlines to pull out of Spokane International Airport

Early this week the announcement was made that Frontier Airlines will soon end all flight service to Spokane International Airport.

Frontier, is a lower fare airline based out of Denver,Co. that has struggled financially in the last couple of years. Spokane is not the only city Frontier Airlines has recently left with service being pulled from Fresno and Bakersfield,Ca.  Locally service will end on Jan. 6th 2015.

Frontier Airlines was not a major player for Spokane International with only one morning departure and one evening arrival both coming and going to Denver. Direct flight service to Denver from Spokane will still continue with a couple of other airlines providing daily service.

The departure of Frontier Airlines from Spokane will leave the airport with service six passenger airlines.  Frontier had only a limited amount of locally based staff meaning layoffs will happen but will be minimal.

For more information on Spokane International Airport, visit-

www.spokaneairports.net

New(ish) restaurant review- Barlow's at Liberty Lake

Thanks to a reminder from Urbanspoon that I haven't logged in, in awhile. I was reminded that I also haven't done a review of any new Spokane area restaurants for quite sometime. So here it goes... Today's review is of what I would call a newish restaurant because Barlow's has actually been in business locally for a little more then five years.

But, a few months ago Barlow's moved out their original small restaurant to a new, much bigger location that is free standing and new construction built just for use by Barlow's. With the move to the new building Barlow's also changed their name to Barlow's at Liberty Lake. The "at Liberty Lake " portion was added to allow the business to expand and open elsewhere in the future. However, there are no immediate plans to create any additional restaurants. Although Barlow's is a great ,locally owned and operated business that I hope does manage to work it's way into more location in our area soon.

Barlow's at Liberty Lake is a calm, clean restaurant with very friendly staff that is well worth a visit. The menu is made up of a little of everything you'd expect from an American cuisine restaurant like the photo below. The menu is made up burgers, sandwiches and appetizers along the left page with fair pricing and a right page of entree's which admittedly are a bit higher priced but also fairly priced and on par with the big chain restaurants that dot the landscape.

During my visit the Barlow's at Liberty Lake, I chose from the sandwich side only. As a huge fan of Philly cheesesteaks I ordered one. And it showed up looking just as delicious as I had hoped...

 The Philly showed up after a basket of bread, a delicious soft bread that was sliced and interestingly enough what appeared to be the same bread as was used for the sandwich . As you can see above the sandwich was a bit heavier on the meat then the peppers and cheese. But rest assured these are not absent and on a personal level it was welcomed.

Temperature was good and delivery time to our table was also as expected. After the sandwich and accompanying fries I was too full to divulge in dessert but there are dessert menu options. In addition to dessert Barlow's at Liberty Lake also has full bar menu. I think the prices are slightly higher then some local establishments but are still fair. Here is a look at Barlow's signature drink menu. The other side of this menu card highlight more drinks, created specifically for the winter season....

 

 

 

Drinks are also available in the on site " Alicia's Market Side Lounge " which is immediately to the left upon entering the restaurant. The restaurant itself is pleasant but not overly decorated. There is some basic art of vehicles , etc... . On one wall however is a large mural that features the history of Liberty Lake, a city with a very interesting history.

 

I do plan to go back to Barlow's and is worth the drive out the Liberty Lake for a nice night out or maybe even quick breakfast / lunch.

 

 

Barlow's at Liberty Lake is located in, of course Liberty Lake. Here is their info and a link to the their Facebook page-

 

 

Barlow's at Liberty Lake

1428 N. Liberty Lake Rd.

Liberty Lake,WA 99019

PH: 509-924-1446

 

Like Barlow's on Facebook at-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barlows-at-Liberty-Lake/363676347105107

 

 

 

 

 



Happy Holidays from Inland Northwest Business Watch!

Happy Holidays from Inland Northwest Business Watch!!!

 

 

 

News on the latest new business coming to Spokane, will return after Christmas!

A couple of new chain restaurant locations coming

Looks like a couple of large national restaurant chains are going to be investing in Spokane by opening new locations in the coming months.

Because they are only in the permitting phases ( actually, as of typing this, neither has a issued permit ) we don't know when they will open, or how many they will employ. But the city's records show these 2 new restaurants coming....

Denny's on the Division St. hill.

This one is interesting because of it being only a few blocks north of Gonzaga and the University District. It also is in a very heavy traffic area, with the address to be 3525 N. Division St , at the corner of N. Division and Gordon.

Current plans for the new Denny's to be built on a vacant site directly at the corner with a portion of the building to the south to be demolished to make way for parking spaces to service the Denny's.

The new building is purposed to be about 4,500 square feet, with construction beginning in June. Interestingly enough the record also notes construction is planned to take about 90 days. Really is amazing how fast building can be built.

Jack in the Box on Northwest Blvd.

Planned to be built at 1511 W. Northwest Blvd is a new Jack in the Box fast food restaurant.

While the address of this new Jack in the Box is on Northwest Blvd. plans show it to actually be built on the corner of Northwest and Maple. Current plans show a 3,000 square foot restaurant building with drive through and parking area.

If it goes as planned construction on this new restaurant will also start in June, with a completion date about 90 days out from then.

The site is currently vacant.

Timber Gastropub to replace the Hot Rod Cafe

Construction work is already underway on the former Hot Rod Café Building on Schneidmiller Dr. in Post Falls. The building is been repainted with a gray, almost black paint and the iconic hot rod that once spun over top of the entry way has been removed.

We actually mentioned this plan some time back, but are just now getting the full details. Turns out the former Hot Rod Café is being converted into a gastropub style bar and restaurant. The new business name will be Timber Gastropub and it is currently scheduled to open in March.

Timber Gastropub is being designed by HDG Hissong + Hurtado Design Group of Spokane and is a business venture of Bill Miller and Randy Ingraham who are also the owners of Longhorn BBQ in Spokane. In fact, a new Longhorn location was once rumored to be what was going into the old Hot Rod building.

Timber, will have a new interior look in addition to a full bar. A food menu will also be included that consists of burgers, pizzas, wood oven apps and much more for lunch and dinner. We expect to see a full menu as the opening date nears.

The new restaurant will employ about 40. Renderings of what Timber will look like once completed can be found on HDG's Facebook page ( postings are back in Oct. ) -

https://www.facebook.com/studiohdg

Building purposed for " the hole" at 3rd & Division

It looks like travelers coming into Spokane via the I-90/ Division St. may soon have something to greet them other then the big hole on the northwest side of the 3rd and Division St intersection.

The City of Spokane's building permit portal reveals that, this week a "pre-development conference" was held for a new building at that exact site. The plan is being brought forward by John & Rita Santillanes, who list an address on Geiger Blvd. which is also the address of the Best Western Peppertree Inn on the West Plains. This is interesting because the owner of that hotel was the same who started the construction project a few years ago that resulted in the pit there today.

That project was to be a new hotel, but the project abandoned for good after the massive Grand Hotel Spokane construction project began to the north. Making the need for new hotel rooms Downtown almost nill ( for now... )

The paperwork attached to the conference indicates a new 2 story building would rise from the site. There is no rendering attached, but a site plan shows the building will be commercial with retail, restaurant and office (office space on the second floor ) uses.

The information included shows a purposed construction start date of May 2015, along with a logo from Baker Construction. It may cost about $2 million with about 10,000 square feet of retail on the main floor and 6,000 square feet of office space above. Surrounding the new building will be a surface parking lot.

We expect to be hearing more on this soon. And will surely post renderings, names and tenants as we get them.

Aerospace manufacturing facility planned for Post Falls

The City of Post Falls has taken a few hard hits job wise recently, with the pending closure of Kimball Office and Unitech backing out of their plan to move there large manufacturing operations to a site near Cabela's.

But, all is not lost on " Idaho's River City" with the plans, announced a couple of months ago to construct a new aerospace manufacturing plant for a company currently in Spokane Valley. Ironically this new factory will be almost next door to the large Kimball Office plant which will soon be empty.

This new aerospace manufacturing facility will be operated by ATC Manufacturing,Inc. and will be a relocation by the company from their current, smaller plant to this new site. The company chose to move to Idaho because of a new tool from the local government, called IDC or Industrial Development Corporation which allows for tax free financing to attract businesses to cross the border into Idaho.

ATC, which stands for Advanced Thermoplastic Composites and creates composites and carbon fiber parts for their clients in the aerospace industry. ATC will also relocate their corporate offices to this site in Post Falls. Currently ATC operates at 10310 E. Buckeye Lane, Spokane Valley.

ATC Manufacturing,Inc. employs about 70 today and plans to hire about 45 more during the next year.

Construction is already beginning at the company's Post Falls site which will be off of Lean Ave. in the Treaty Rock Corporate Park. The company will be the first tenant of the Treaty Rock park which is imminently west of Kimball Office and visible from Seltice Way.  ATC Manufacturing's new building will be about 65,000 square feet and is currently scheduled to open during the fall of 2015.

For more information on ATC Manufacturing,Inc. visit their web site at-

www.atcmanufacturing.com