A proposal to build up to 100 condominium units on a steeply sloped parcel overlooking Hangman Valley near 57th Avenue and Hatch Road is being reviewed closely by the city of Spokane while efforts are under way to complete more geologic testing.


The project would be located southwest of Hatch, about where that busy north-south arterial sweeps to the east to intersect with the west end of 57th. That stretch of roadway borders a sharp drop off the South Hill down into Hangman Valley, and provides panoramic views to the south and west. The proposed development site, of 25 acres more or less city records say, is situated just southwest of the Quail Ridge development.


The site is owned by Yong Lewis, of Spokane, who applied to the city in October for a grading permit for road construction. Reached at her home here, Lewis referred a reporter to her engineer, Randy Hahn, of Hahn Engineering Inc., of Spokane, whom city records list as her agent.


Hahn says the project would consist of about 36 platforms, although that number is in flux. The platforms would be built on stilts, and two or three condominium units of at least two levels would be built on each platform, Hahn says.


Everything will be built on stilts, he says, adding that Hahn Engineering has done projects on similar terrain on the banks of Lake Coeur dAlene.


David Compton, a city planner, says the permit application is waiting on additional results of drainage and engineering studies. A March 10 memorandum in the city files from Kris Becker, an associate engineer with the city, says a geologic hazard evaluation report submitted earlier was inadequate. A letter to Hahn from Compton, also dated March 10, says that because engineering data was found to be inadequate, the application was still technically incomplete.


The file on the application also includes a thick envelope marked public comments before the application.


Says Hahn, We need a subsurface investigation to know the soils and be assured that when we build the road, it will stay.


He asserts that the condominiums would be stable, and adds, We have to be careful and make sure the project is engineered correctly.


Compton says, Its a pretty steep slope and has got some challenges, but I guess with enough engineering you can do almost anything.


Windermere Real Estate/Manito LLC, of Spokane, would market the project, Hahn says. He didnt know the names of the developer or the architect on the project.


Hahn says the project, currently being called the High Drive Condos, may be 60 to 90 days out before construction work begins, assuming the city approves the project. He thinks it would be built in phases, and could take from one to five years.


Well let the site dictate the number of homes. We dont want to force the number of homes we build.


Contact Rocky Wilson at (509) 344-1264 or via e-mail at rockyw@spokanejournal.com.