Retail sales are expected to rise sharply again in 2007, though perhaps not quite to the extent they did this year, industry observers here say.Spokane County and the cities of Spokane and Spokane Valley all have budgeted for modest gains in is

Residential and commercial real estate sales are expected to remain strong here in 2007, although below their record-setting paces in 2005 and 2006.Spokane-area home sales during the first 11 months of this year were running about 5.4 percent A

Construction industry observers here are anticipating another busy year in 2007, although theyre again approaching the new year with some trepidation.The city of Spokane saw continued building growth in 2006, with permitted construction at in

Employment in Spokane Countywhich so far this year has shot up by more than 10,000 jobsis expected to grow at a slower clip in 2007, though its still projected to outpace the national average, experts here say.Were not expecting the

A prevailing question has emerged as the Inland Northwest economy heads into 2007: If the region posts healthy gains but falls short of matching its record performances of late, does that constitute a downturn or softening?Well let the crowd

Airway Pointe Seniors LP, of Hayden, Idaho, is developing a 51-unit, 10-building Airway Heights apartment complex for senior citizens.Whitewater Creek Inc., of Hayden, is the owner of and contractor on the project, called Airway Pointe, and has

A Spokane developer plans to convert a century-old building near the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on the South Hill into four luxury condominiums.The condo project, to be called Cathedral Point, is owned by Jordalen Tangen Development 2

When roughly 60,000 Avista Utilities customers lost power last week during a violent wind storm, the Spokane companys new high-tech, power-outage reporting system, which it developed over several years at a cost of $10 million, got its biggest to

Windsor Plywood, a Canadian home-improvement and building-supply retailer, has bought a 1.5 acre parcel on Spokanes North Side, where it plans to build its second store here.Curt Crego, operations manager for the Surrey, British chain, says a

Plants are pretty common gifts for celebrating special occasions or expressing certain sentiments, but a Spokane company has taken the idea a step further by developing plants that display a printed message as they sprout.The company, Miracle a