Construction momentum is continuing to grow here following significant gains in total valuation of projects permitted here last year, some industry observers say.

Major projects under construction or planned for this year in the Spokane area exceed $625 million.

Sean Shields, building permit specialist with the city of Spokane, says projects in the pipeline for the city alone are approaching $400 million. While several projects haven't come before the building department yet, they're helping to fuel optimism that the industry here is headed toward recovery, he says.

One of those projects is the proposed 15-story, 700-room convention center headquarters hotel and six-story parking garage project. Preliminary plans list project valuation at $50 million, but Shields says he's hearing that total value of the envisioned project could come in much higher.

Walt Worthy and his wife, Karen, signed a letter of intent in September with the Spokane Public Facilities District to develop the project on property the PFD owns known as the south block, just south across Spokane Falls Boulevard from the INB Performing Arts Center.

The Worthys and the PFD are waiting on appraisals for property before proceeding with negotiations on a development contract. The PFD owns the proposed hotel site, known as the south block, which is bounded by Spokane Falls Boulevard, Main Avenue, and Washington and Bernard streets.

The Worthys' development company, Worthy Enterprises LLC, will act as the general contractor on the project, and the Spokane office of Seattle-based DCI Engineers is the engineering consultant.

Meantime, the PFD is planning a $60 million-plus project to expand the Spokane Convention Center.

The main portion of the project will be a 91,000-square-foot addition to the exhibit hall on the east side of the convention center campus. The addition, which will be attached to the north side of the exhibit hall, will include about 25,000 square feet of meeting space and 18,000 square feet of exhibit space.

In April, the PFD expects to select a design-build team from a short list of three finalists, all of which include Spokane-area companies. The competing teams are Garco/ALSC/LMN, Lydig/Integrus, and YLK JV/Bernardo Wills/tvsdesign. Work on the project is expected to start by early summer and to be completed by early 2015.

LMN Architects, of Seattle, worked with ALSC Architects, of Spokane, and other design and engineering firms on the conceptual design for the project.

Also this year, Rockwood Retirement Communities, of Spokane, is expected to apply for building permits to begin work on a $51 million expansion that will include construction of a new residential tower to be called The Summit, at 2903 E. 25th.

The long-planned project has been redesigned to have 65 living units, down from 93 units as it was originally proposed in 2009.

The project currently is in the predevelopment stage of the city of Spokane's permitting process.

If approved, the new structure would be built just west of The Ridge, a seven-story retirement tower formerly known as Rockwood Manor, which was built in 1960.

The Summit, which is expected to open to residents by the summer of 2015, would have 14 levels, including two levels of underground parking. The building would include a fitness center, a spa, a creative-arts studio, a library, and a ballroom. The top floor would feature the Sky View Lounge, which would be available to all residents.

Walker Construction Inc., of Spokane, is the contractor on the project, and NAC|Architecture, of Spokane, and Perkins Eastman, of Pittsburgh, designed it.

As part of the project, Rockwood also is reconfiguring its north parking lot and plans to begin construction of a two-story parking garage with 102 parking spaces on the north side of The Ridge tower.

Another large project not yet at the permit-application stage is Gonzaga University's proposed $45 million, four-story university center, which would replace its current center, known as the COG, at 702 E. Desmet. The envisioned 165,000-square-foot center would support student clubs and organizations, dining services, the university's ministry, student publications, and service learning. The center also would include an 800-seat multipurpose ballroom, a 200-seat auditorium, and meeting spaces.

The proposal is scheduled to go before the university's board of trustees in April. If the university approves funding, and goes through the permitting process smoothly, work on the project could start this year, the university has said.

Portland-based Hoffman Construction Co. would be the contractor on the project. Opsis Architecture LLP, of Portland, and Bernardo Wills Architects PS, of Spokane, designed it.

Gonzaga also is looking to construct a $6 million, 73,700-square-foot indoor tennis and golf complex, at 1220 N. Superior, a few blocks east of the university's main campus. Preliminary plans show that Gonzaga hopes to start construction this spring, although the university hasn't announced a contractor for the project yet.

In another project proposal not yet submitted to the city, Shriners Hospital for Children-Spokane, at 911 W. Fifth, has a $15 million-plus renovation and expansion on the drawing board.

Shriners head office in Tampa, Fla., has approved a draft design for the project, which is scheduled to go up for final approval by the nonprofit in April.

The project would reconfigure the top floor of the five-story hospital to update its two operating suites and replace administration space with an outpatient surgery unit. The charity hospital's administrative offices would move from the fifth floor to a three-story addition to be constructed behind the main hospital building.

The addition, which would have more than 15,000 square feet of floor space, also would include temporary living units for families of patients.

The project also would expand the hospital's parking structure by about 50 percent to accommodate some 200 vehicles. NAC|Architecture is performing preliminary design work. No contractor has been selected for the project yet.

Medical facilities

A number of other medical facilities also are under construction.

The largest ongoing construction project in Spokane Valley is the $58 million Providence Medical Park-Spokane Valley, at 16528 E. Desmet Court.

The complex will have a connected pair of buildings with a combined total of 127,000 square feet of floor space. Diagnostic and treatment services will occupy a two-story building, and a three-story building will accommodate specialty-care physician offices.

Bouten Construction Co., of Spokane, is the contractor on the project, and Mahlum, a Seattle-based architectural firm, designed it. Providence Medical Park-Spokane Valley is expected to open in the spring of 2014.

Also in the Valley, Spokane-based Cancer Care Northwest PS is developing a $14 million treatment center at 1204 N. Vercler. Bouten Construction is the contractor on that 37,000-square-foot facility, which will accommodate a multispecialty cancer-treatment clinic. Spokane-based Blue Room Architecture PS designed the project, which is expected to be completed in late summer or fall.

In another Valley medical project that's well under way, a company affiliated with Spokane-based Medical Oncology Associates PS is developing a $7 million-plus integrated cancer treatment clinic to be called the Spokane Valley Cancer Center. McCloskey Construction Inc., of Colbert, is the contractor on that 22,000-square-foot structure at 13424 E. Mission, and Denny Christenson & Associates Inc., of Spokane, designed it.

Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center, at 4815 N. Wellesley in northwest Spokane, is in the midst of a multiyear spate of construction projects. Spokane VAMC's largest current construction contract, at $7.7 million, includes two second-floor additions with a combined total of 15,000 square feet of floor space.

One addition will accommodate a 6,000-square-foot endoscopy and gastrointestinal unit to be constructed above the entrance on the east side of the main hospital building. The other addition will include a 9,000-square-foot central processing unit that's to be constructed above the pharmacy and specialty-care units on the west side of the main building. Kevcon Inc., of Escondido, Calif., is the contractor on the project, which is scheduled to be completed by early 2014, and NAC|Architecture designed it.

St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute has launched a $7.7 million energy-services and utility-upgrade project at its campus at 711 S. Cowley, which includes a 100,000-square-foot hospital building and a 26,000-square-foot medical office building. Kennewick, Wash.-based Apollo Solutions Group is the contractor and designer on the project which is expected to be completed in mid-2014.

Kendall Yards

Construction in the 78-acre Kendall Yards development northwest of downtown will escalate this year, says Jim Frank, CEO of Liberty Lake-based real estate development company Greenstone Corp.

In all, Greenstone affiliates will work on projects exceeding $32 million in value in Kendall Yards this year, Frank says.

Perhaps the most visible current construction project there is the $9.5 million Bridgeway Apartments complex, which consists of six three-story structures overlooking the Spokane River east of the Maple Street Bridge. Ponderosa Ridge Homes LLC, a Greenstone construction arm, is the contractor on the 84-unit project, and Nystrom Olson Inc., of Spokane, designed it.

Just east of the apartment buildings, also on the south side of Summit, construction is nearly complete on two 13,000-square-foot buildings valued at $1.2 million each. The Inlander, a Spokane-based free weekly newspaper, will own and occupy one of the buildings, and Spa Paradiso will lease most of the commercial space in the other structure. Ponderosa Ridge Homes is the contractor on the projects, and Nystrom Olson Inc., designed them.

Another Greenstone affiliate has begun the permitting process for a $3 million mixed-use building on the north side of Summit, at 1133 W. College. The 27,000-square-foot, three-story structure would have six retail suites on the main floor and studio and one-bedroom residential apartments on the second and third floors.

Spokane architectural concern Pacific Design Group of Washington PS is designing the project.

Frank says Greenstone plans to extend Summit Parkway to Monroe Street from its current terminus at Cedar Street in late summer at an estimated cost of $1 million. Summit, when fully developed, will be the main boulevard running east and west through Kendall Yards.

In the residential sector of the development, Kendall Yards plans to finish a third phase of residential construction with a combination of an additional 20 townhouse and single-family residential units valued at a total of $5 million.

Greenstone also plans this year to begin construction of a $10 million, fourth residential phase of 60 townhouses and single-family homes that would be located near an extension of Summit west to Nettleton Street.

Greenstone also is in the permitting stage of a $2 million project that would construct a Centennial Trail connectionbetween Monroe Street and the Sandifur Bridge. Frank says he expects that trail construction will begin by May 1.

Encouraging numbers

Building permit values for Spokane County and the cities of Spokane and Spokane Valley totaled $682.1 million in 2012, a 25 percent jump from a year earlier, largely due to a number of high-value educational buildings permitted throughout the year, Shields says.

This year, though, could be the peak year for construction under the current Spokane Public Schools bond schedule, he says, as projects exceeding $120 million in value are expected to be in some stage of construction.

They are led by the second and third phases of the $59 million Ferris High School modernization project, at 3020 E. 27th on the South Hill, which is expected to be complete late this year or in early 2014.

One of the district's major upcoming projects this year is the $26.9 million Finch Elementary restoration and modernization project at 3717 N. Milton, which is expected to go out to bid in April.

The largest ongoing construction project near downtown is the $78 million Washington State University Biomedical and Health Sciences building project, at 205 E. Spokane Falls Boulevard, on the Riverpoint Campus. That project is expected to be completed late this year. Spokane-based Graham Construction Management Inc., is the contractor on the 110,000-square-foot structure, and Seattle based architectural firm NBBJ designed it.

The city of Spokane is reviewing building permit applications for projects valued at a total of $40 million.

Those projects include the $5.7 million Cedar Crossing mixed-use development, at 6511 N. Cedar, the former site of a Tidyman's supermarket in the Five Mile commercial district.

That development would include four three-story apartment buildings with a total of 36 units on the north portion of the nearly 4-acre property and four single-story commercial buildings with a combined 22,500 square feet of floor space on the south half of the parcel.

Brumback Construction Inc., of Spokane Valley, is the contractor on the project, and Paul Matthews Architects PLLC, of Rathdrum, Idaho, designed it.

Another project under permit review is the proposed Ruby Suites development at 1120 N. Division. Spokane development company GVD Northwest LLC has submitted plans to convert the Burgans Fine Furniture block north of downtown into a mixed-use complex following a proposed $6.8 million renovation of a four-story former furniture store and three-story warehouse.

On the east edge of the city, Scafco Corp., of Spokane Valley, is developing two buildings with a total value of $9.3 million at 2800 E. Main, the site of the former Playfair horse racing track.

An 113,600-square-foot structure will accommodate a steel-stud manufacturing plant. The other structure will be a 24,600-square-foot office building. An enclosed walkway will connect the two buildings.

Lawrence B. Stone PPTY Construction LLC, of Spokane, is the contractor on the project, and Spokane-based NAC|Architecture designed it.

Across town, Spokane International Airport has three major projects that are, or will be, in some stage of construction this year.

Construction is expected to start this year on an $8.5 million aircraft rescue and firefighting facility to replace the current 10,500-square-foot facility. The structure will be erected north of the main runway and southwest of the main terminal. Part of the contract calls for constructing a new three-fourth mile access road to extend from the building site to inbound Airport Drive. Integrus Architecture PS, of Spokane, is designing the project, and a contractor hasn't been selected for it yet. The project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2014.

Associated Painters Inc., the Spokane-based aircraft painting company, plans to build an $8 million, 55,200-square-foot hangar at 8510 W. Electric, next to its existing hangar that it leases from the airport. Construction is expected to begin this month and to be completed by early September. Garco Construction Inc., of Spokane, is the contractor on the project, and Bernardo Wills Architects PC, of Spokane, designed it.

Work is nearly complete on the third project, a $9.1 million building that will accommodate the airport's snow-removal equipment. Spokane-based Lydig Construction Inc. is the contractor on that 46,400-square-foot structure, which is located at the northwest corner of the airfield next to other maintenance structures. Cortner Architectural Co., of Spokane, designed the project.

In another project well under way, Riverview Retirement Community is developing a $4.2 million aquatics and fitness center on its campus at 1801 E. Upriver Drive. The 13,000-square-foot indoor facility, which is scheduled to open June 1, will feature a four-lane lap pool, a 500-square-foot therapy pool, and a raised eight-person spa.

Robert B. Goebel General Contractor Inc., of Spokane, is the contractor, and NAC|Architecture designed it.