A husband and wife, both of whom are Spokane-area physicians, have bought the former Sunrise Wood Products Inc. building, located along the Spokane River east of downtown, and plan to convert the building into condominiums.


Dr. Andrew Chester says he and his wife, Dr. Kawal Dinsa-Chester, hope to start work this spring on improvements to the two-story, 32,000-square-foot building, which is located at 629 N. Erie, just north of Trent Avenue and west of the Iron Bridge Corporate Campus.


Design work on the conversion is still under way, but the couple plan for the structure to include 12 living units on the buildings second floor, Chester says. The building is within the Spokane Rivers flood plain, and its first floor is partially below grade. That level will be converted into parking slots and storage spaces.


Roughly $1 million in improvements are slated for the building, not counting improvements that condo buyers will make to their individual, unfinished units. The couple likely will begin marketing the living units later this year, Chester says. Baker Construction & Development Corp., of Spokane, will be the general contractor on that project.


Price ranges for the living units havent been set yet, Chester says.


Before moving forward with the project, the Chesters must obtain a shoreline conditional-use permit from the city of Spokane. Spokane architect Patsy OConnor, who is designing the condominium conversion for the Chesters, says they plan to apply for the permit soon and to hold a neighborhood meeting on the project before long.


The Chesters bought the building about a year ago for $825,000. Sunrise Wood Products, a custom-woodworking shop, moved from the structure shortly thereafter to larger quarters at 4308 N. Barker, in Spokane Valley.


Andrew Chester is a physician with Spokane Internal Medicine PS, and Kawal Dinsa-Chester is an oncologist at Cancer Care Northwest PS.