Inland Northwest Economic Developments, Spring 2015

The following are projects, initiatives and economic developments making news in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. This email is distributed by the Inland Northwest Economic Alliance (INEA) on behalf of its regional partners.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Keystone Automotive Operations, Inc., an Exeter, Penn. corporation, recently announced an expansion in Spokane County with the construction of a large distribution warehouse in Spokane’s West Plains area. The 250,000-square-foot facility will be home to approximately 60 employees who will be responsible for inbound and outbound freight activities. Keystone is the leading distributor and marketer of aftermarket automotive equipment and accessories in North America. To learn more, go to http://www.greaterspokane.org.

Brown Properties, Spokane developer and contractor, plans to build a $15 million office complex in Spokane’s University District. According to the Spokane Journal of Business, the project, tentatively named Spokane River Properties Development, would have four three-story office buildings and one single-story retail building. Depending on the city’s plans and Washington State Department of Transportation approval, construction could begin in late summer and carry into 2016. To learn more, read the Spokane Journal of Business article.

The Toolbox is a new collaborative work space in Spokane’s University District where seasoned entrepreneurs, established companies, growing startups and nonprofit-maker organizations will share tools, equipment, space, ideas and knowledge with emerging entrepreneurs and innovators interested in building businesses based on making things. The Toolbox is the brainchild of Andy Barrett, chairman and majority shareholder of Berg Co. The Toolbox creates a team and assists that team with creating a business plan, manufacturing a final prototype, securing financing and forming a company. To learn more about Toolbox and its current projects, go to http://www.toolboxnw.com.

HAYDEN, Idaho – Empire Airlines, ADAVSO and Blair Farms announced a partnership to develop Empire Unmanned Aviation, which will provide precision agriculture services using unmanned aircrafts, also known as drones. ADAVSO was one of the first companies in the United States to receive a commercial exemption approved by the FAA to operate commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems specifically designed for precision agriculture. For more information, visit http://www.empireairlines.com.

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Alliance Data Retail Services, which manages more than 130 private label and co-brand credit card programs for many of today’s most recognizable brands, plans to hire 130 additional employees this spring to expand its Coeur d’Alene facility. The Ohio-based company made the expansion announcement as part of a long-term growth plan to meet its expanding portfolio of branded credit card programs. Alliance Data’s facility in Coeur d’Alene opened in June 2014. To learn more, read the Coeur d’Alene Press article or visit http://www.alliancedataretail.com.

Hecla Mining Company announced plans to acquire Revett Mining Company in a transaction valued at $20 million. Following closing of the merger, Hecla intends to continue to advance permitting of the Rock Creek project. Located in Northwest Montana, Rock Creek is considered one of the largest undeveloped silver and copper deposits in North America. For more information on the acquisition, go to http://www.hecla-mining.com.

Coeur d’Alene Area Economic Development Corporation has a new president for the organization. Gynii Abracosa Gilliam brings more than 20 years of experience in economic development, having worked in both rural settings in central Idaho and urban centers as large as Detroit. She was the former chief economic development officer for the state of Idaho, and prior to joining Jobs Plus, Inc. ran her own consulting firm providing workshops in "transforming elected officials and stakeholders into champions for economic development." For more information, visit http://www.relocatetoidaho.org.

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. – Telect, Liberty Lake-based manufacturer of network infrastructure equipment, is opening a new manufacturing facility in the Liberty Lake Business Park. The new plant will employ about 60 to start and will include space for new headquarter offices, allowing both office and manufacturing staff to all be under the same roof once again. Read the Inland Northwest Business article to learn more or visit http://www.telect.com.

LEWISTON, Idaho – St. Joseph Regional Medical Center recently opened its new central energy plant and building management office in Lewiston. The new plant will heat, cool and power the hospital. The $15-million project is intended to set the stage for a three-story, 66,400-square-foot addition to the hospital for outpatient services, new technology and physician offices. For more information, read the Lewiston Tribune article or visit http://www.sjrmc.org.

MOSES LAKE, Wash. – SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers has hired and trained 59 new employees. By years end, total employment at the Moses Lake campus will be just under 200. A portion of the training was funded with the support of a $150,000 Work Start training grant from the Governor’s Office and the Washington State Department of Commerce. Through the training, two employees were promoted to supervisory positions, 41 employees learned production operations procedures and 13 employees were promoted to production operation trainers. To learn more, visit http://www.grantedc.com.

POST FALLS, Idaho – Northwest Specialty Hospital is developing another complex near the hospital, known as the Syringa Medical Campus. The $2.1 million project will include three buildings. The first building will have 17,000 square feet of office space and is expected to be complete in June. Two other buildings of similar size also are planned as part of the Syringa Medical Campus, although no construction dates are set for those buildings yet. Each building will accommodate two to eight tenants with suite sizes ranging from 1,000 to 7,000 square feet. For more information, read the Journal of Business article.

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Next IT, provider of natural language platform software, is constructing a new building for its corporate headquarters in Spokane Valley. The 44,000 square-foot building will be completed this fall. Next IT currently employ’s 160 and expects to grow that number in the coming months. To learn more, read the Inland Northwest Business article or visit http://www.nextit.com.

MULLAN, Idaho – Heritage Health, a federally-qualified health center and North Idaho’s premier provider of integrated medical, dental and behavioral health services, recently opened its new Mullan Clinic. The clinic is the product of the partnership between Heritage Health and Mountain Health Care as well as the efforts of the Mullan HealthCare Committee, a unique group of positive and productive individuals who saw the needs in their community and took action. For more information, visit http://www.myheritagehealth.org.

PULLMAN, Wash. – The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport is moving into the design phase of its planned runway extension and realignment. In December, the Federal Aviation Administration approved the environmental assessment for the runway realignment. A new law passed in December cut the matching requirement for funds for small airports serving interstate communities. It reduced the Palouse airport’s matching requirement from 10 percent to 8.125 percent, which will save it between $1.67 million and $2.23 million on the project estimated to cost between $89 million and $120 million. For more information, go to http://www.flypuw.com or http://labor.idaho.gov.

About the Inland Northwest Economic Alliance (INEA)

The Inland Northwest Economic Alliance (INEA) is an alliance of 11 regional economic development agencies representing 15 counties in Northern Idaho and Eastern Washington. The collaborative effort is aimed at building economic growth through enhancing the brand recognition of the Inland Northwest and its communities and showcasing its business value. To learn more, visit http://www.inlandnorthwestregion.com.