University of Idaho Renovates Library

The University of Idaho Library has kicked off a $700,000 renovation of its second floor to modernize its facility to meet users’ needs and preferences. The planned remodeling includes new carpet, paint, furniture and electrical upgrades. When finished, library users will have an upgraded space aesthetically similar to that of library’s renovated first floor, which was completed in fall 2016. Go to www.uidaho.edu/news to learn more.

Kootenai Health Continues Improvements

Kootenai Health is undergoing a $4.3 million renovation involving at least 17,000 square feet in its main hospital building in Coeur d’Alene. The upgrades involve improvements to existing and recently expanded space for the pharmacy, central supply storage and sterile processing departments. To learn more, read the Spokane Journal of Business article or visit www.kh.org.

NID LLC Building New Office in Coeur d'Alene

NID LLC, an affiliate of North Idaho Dermatology PA, is building a $6 million structure in Coeur d’Alene. The three-story, 27,400-square-foot building will be situated above a 9,400-square-foot parking level. Construction started in November and is expected to be complete in late September 2018. Read the Spokane Journal of Business article to learn more.

Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Builds Operations Building

Construction is now underway on the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Operations Building. The $6 million complex will put more than 13,000 square feet under one roof, housing two large ARFF vehicles, one or two diesel-powered snow brooms and another two or three plows. Select administrative and airfield maintenance functions will also be moved to the new location. Read the airport’s press release to learn more.

Water Solutions Expands in Rathdrum

Water Solutions Inc., a drinking water purification unit vendor, is building a $400,000, 4,200-square-foot office building with an attached three-bay shop in Rathdrum. Water Solutions is relocating to accommodate business expansion. Construction is expected to be complete in April. The new building will also include four offices, a customer lobby, conference room, lunchroom and storage space. Read the news brief in the Spokane Journal of Business.

Clearwater Paper Completes Installation of Pulp Digester

Source: Idaho Business Review

Clearwater Paper completed installation of its $160 million state-of-the-art continuous pulp digester. The equipment will reduce emissions, decrease energy costs and increase efficiency in converting wood chips to pulp for use in Clearwater’s private label tissue and paperboard production. For more information, go to www.clearwaterpaper.com.

Construction Underway on Spokane Market Hall Eatery

Construction is underway on the Market Hall Eatery in Spokane’s downtown. The modern food hall is modeled after a similar development in Portland, Oregon. Plans show a shared, open hall with up to 14 spaces for tenants. Unlike food courts, which generally feature fast-food chains, food halls house local boutique, artisan sellers. Learn more at www.spokesman.com/tags/food-hall.

Rathdrum Plans Urban Renewal District

Rathdrum’s new urban renewal agency will soon start developing a plan for the city’s first urban renewal district on 233 acres in the heart of town. The agency will spend six months to a year developing an urban renewal plan for the City Council to consider. For more information, read the Coeur d’Alene Press article.

Inland Northwest Technology Park Planned in Post Falls

The Inland Northwest Technology Park, a 233-acre technology park, is being planned on the west side of Highway 41 and the same developers are marketing a 50-acre retail center on the east side. Prairie Crossing developers Philip Wirth and Rick Robinson are planning the technology park with the intent of attracting technology and aerospace manufacturers to the site between Prairie and Hayden avenues. Learn more in the Coeur d’Alene Press article.

Spokane Tribe Casino Opens Doors

The Spokane Tribe Casino is officially open. The casino offers gaming and entertainment, including 450 slot machines, 12 table games, a full-service restaurant, an express deli and a gaming floor bar. The Spokane Tribe’s mixed-use development project will be built in phases. The project will create jobs with more than $400 million invested into the local economy. At full build-out, the project will include: casino, entertainment facility, hotel, cultural center, police and fire station. Go to https://spokanetribecasino.com to learn more.

SmaK Products Grows Workforce in North Idaho

SmaK Products Inc., subsidiary of SmaK plastics, the maker of rotationally molded plastic solutions, is growing its North Idaho workforce. Currently, 18 full-time staffers work for SmaK Products. The company expects that number to swell to the high 30s or low 40s by the second quarter of 2018. In early 2018, SmaK Products plans to roll out its line of commercial-grade cleaning items, such as cleaning equipment for carpets, upholstery, automotive detailing and different styles of cleaning wands. Read the Spokane Journal of Business article or visit http://smakplastics.com to learn more.

NIC Global Manufacturing Solutions Opens Warehouse in Pullman

NIC Global Manufacturing Solutions, the Woodinville, Wash.-based sheet metal manufacturer, has opened a new warehouse facility in Pullman, which will enable it to better supply long-time client Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. The Pullman facility is a 6,000-square-foot leased space within an existing building. Over the next few years, the sheet metal manufacturer expects to add fabrication capabilities in Pullman. To learn more, read the Spokane Journal of Business article.

Orgill to Expand Workforce in Post Falls

Orgill, provider of wholesale distribution and retail services for the home improvement industry, will use a $151,032 Workforce Development Training Fund grant to hire and train 167 new workers for permanent, full-time positions at its Post Falls distribution center. Training will vary depending on the position, but will include inventory control training, logistic training and hazcom training certification. Learn more in the Coeur d’Alene Press article or at labor.idaho.gov/WDTF.

27 Megawatt Solar Farm Planned for Adams County

Development of a large-scale solar farm is underway in Adams County. Called the Adams-Nielson Solar Project, it will generate up to 27 megawatts of energy. Strata Solar, a family-owned solar energy company based out of North Carolina, is overseeing development of the $30 million project. The design phase will last until April and construction
is scheduled to take place from April
to September. It will take about 50-75 employees to install the solar panels. For more information, contact the Adams County Development Council.

Tri County Economic Development District Launches New Mobile App

Tri County Economic Development District (TEDD) launched Northeast Washington Insider, a mobile app that rewards people for exploring Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties.
Users of the free app can earn points by simply visiting places in the region, including a multitude of outdoor recreation destinations; retail, food and beverage, and lodging locations; and heritage sites. Points can then be redeemed for goods or services at local businesses. The app was created using the 468 Insider platform from 468 Communications with funding from Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties as well as the Cities of Colville, Chewelah, Republic and Newport. This project has been made possible with partnerships spanning Northeast Washington.
Learn more at http://tricountyedd.com.

Alliance Data Systems Continues to Grow in Coeur d'Alene

Continued employment growth at the Alliance Data Systems Corp. Coeur d’Alene complex could make it one of the top five largest employers in Kootenai County by year-end. The Coeur d’Alene center had 610 employees as of late August and anticipates it will approach 750 employees yet this year.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Alliance Data is a leading provider of tailored marketing and loyalty solutions, delivered through branded credit programs. The Coeur d’Alene customer care center provides support for many of Alliance Data’s more than 145 credit programs representing many of the world’s most recognizable brands.

Contact the Coeur d’Alene Economic Development Corporation or visit www.alliancedata.com to learn more.

Hotstart Expanding into Overseas Markets

Hotstart, a leader in diesel engine heating solutions, is expanding into target markets overseas, which, along with increased sales opportunities, has brought many new internal developments. Currently, 25 percent of the company’s business comes from foreign markets. International trade as part of Hotstart’s portfolio has made positive contributions in the number of jobs available at the company and has increased innovations and critical thinking strategies to solve customers’ requests. It even allowed the company to add new product lines for marine, generator and natural gas solutions.

To learn more, read the Greater Spokane Incorporated article.

Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Breaks Ground on New Operations Building

Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport recently broke ground on an operations building southwest of the terminal. The Airport Board decided to consolidate the airport’s rescue/firefighting and winter operations buildings into one facility to make room for a new Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicle. The new facility will take a little over a year to complete, about the same time staff expects to take delivery of the latest in ARFF equipment. To learn more, go to http://www.golws.com/news/.

Port of Clarkston Continues Expansion of Fiber-optic Network

The Port of Clarkston continues expansion of its fiber-optic network to serve Asotin County. Begun in 2013, the investments in dark fiber make it possible for services to be provided by the private sector to businesses and homes without the need for duplicative runs of fiber optic cable in the community's rights-of-way.

The project’s greatest accomplishment in 2017 has been getting fiber across Southway Bridge to provide a redundant path, in case there is a problem somewhere along the way. The Ports of Clarkston and Lewiston lease the same conduit in the bridge, and each owns the sector of fiber within its jurisdiction.

To learn more about the project, go to http://portofclarkston.com or contact Valley Vision, the Lewis-Clark Valley’s economic development agency.

Tedder Industries Among Idaho Innovation Award Finalists

Tedder Industries, manufacturer of gun holsters and accessories, was announced as a finalist in two categories for the 12th Annual Idaho Innovation Awards, including Consumer Product of the Year and Innovative Company of the Year. The awards spotlight innovations, innovative professionals and innovative companies statewide.

For more information, read the award announcement.