Spokane developers Dennis Swartout and his son, Ben, plan to ask Spokane County for permission to build a multimillion-dollar project on the South Hill that would include two 12-story towers housing 136 condominium units plus commercial and retail space.

The project, to be called Moran Prairie Condominiums, would be located on 4.6 acres of land between 53rd and 55th avenues, about two blocks east of Regal Street, says Ben Swartout. It would be situated just east of South Regal Lumber Yard and just north across 55th from South Hill Mini Storage.

Swartout declines to estimate the construction cost for the project for now, but says the goal is to keep average sales prices in the project at under $300 per square foot. At that goal and with planned total space of about 247,000 square feet, the two towers could end up having a value of roughly $74 million.

The Swartouts plan to submit an application to the county this month that will seek approval of a planned-unit development (PUD) for the proposed project, along with permission to raise the height limit for buildings in the development to 150 feet, to allow for the 12-story towers, he says. He adds that county regulations limit the height of such projects to 60 feet in the mixed-use zone.

Yet, Swartout says, "The PUD code has a provision in which buildings can be taller than the underlying zone allows, to encourage greater flexibility within a development. Our goal is to leave two-thirds of the property as open space, and we couldn't make the mixed use work with a 60-foot height limit."

Each of the two nearly identical towers would house up to 68 living units on their second through 12th floors, although the office uses also would be allowed on the second and third floors, Swartout says. The ground floors of the buildings each would have 11,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, he says.

"We want to attract businesses that people can walk to," Swartout says. "We're hoping to reduce traffic congestion by creating a pedestrian-oriented community, where people can live, work, and shop in the same building."

The project also would be within walking distance of a supermarket, a post office, and other businesses and services, he adds. The commercial district situated a couple of blocks away along 57th Avenue and Regal has been the site of a number of new retail and commercial developments in recent years.

The property is owned by the Swartout family and is vacant.

Swartout says the zoning designation on which the 4.6-acre property sits allows up to 30 residential units per acre.

"We're not asking for additional density," Swartout says. "The project is less dense than what the zoning allows."

He estimates that work on the project could begin in 18 to 30 months, depending on how quickly it could be permitted and marketed.

"Our main hurdle is whether the county will allow us to build a taller project," he says.

The project's proposed building height wouldn't be unprecedented for structures on the South Hill, where five radio and TV transmission towers are more than 225 feet tall, Swartout says. Other tall structures on the South Hill include Rockwood Manor, and the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, he adds.

The project would be constructed in two phases. The first tower to be built would face 55th Avenue, and the second would face 53rd Avenue, Swartout says. The buildings would be connected by a landscape-covered underground parking garage.

He says he's hopeful that the condo market improves from its current downturn in the time it takes to complete permitting and design for the project. About half of the units proposed in the first building would have to be reserved before the project could be financed, he says.

The developers haven't selected a contractor or architect for the project. Storhaug Engineering Inc., of Spokane, is the project engineer. Whipple Consulting Engineers Inc., of Spokane, has conducted a traffic study for it.

Swartout says he has agreed to traffic mitigation fees proposed by the city of Spokane, which borders the north side of project site, due to an increase in traffic the project would generate at the intersections of 44th Avenue and Regal and at the Palouse Highway and Regal.