County buys property next to downtown campus

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — If you're looking for office elbow room and there's no space to create it where you're at, finding it next door is a great Plan B.

Kootenai County has purchased a 1910 Victorian-style home-turned-business adjacent to its parking lot on the north side of its courthouse campus for $425,000. It was appraised for $495,000.

"It was an opportunity for us to buy land adjacent to what we already own," said Shawn Riley, the county's building and grounds director, adding the property was purchased with fund balance dollars for the current fiscal year so it will not raise taxes.

"It's a corner lot that is desirable to us and would be easy to expand to if that's what we decide to do. We currently don't have anywhere to build on."

County commissioners haven't decided how the 4,660-square-foot building at 627 Government Way will be used, but with multiple county departments crowded, the likely choice will be office space.

"We need to look at a number of scenarios, as to who would occupy it, and when, and at what cost to renovate," Commissioner Chris Fillios said. "Naturally, cost will be the biggest consideration, especially regarding possible renovation."

The building has been occupied by the law offices of Brown, Justh and Romero, which moved to Harbor Plaza at 610 W. Hubbard.

The .38-acre lot also comes with a 576-square-foot garage.

Riley said the previous board of commissioners notified the law business to let the county know if it planned to sell the property, and that's what happened.

"We were able to purchase it without there being a For Sale sign put up," he said. "It's a very strategic location for us."

The building consists of 1,176 square feet on the second floor, 1,792 on the main floor and 1,692 in the basement.

Riley said the building is good structurally, but it needs some updating to bring it up to code. Infrastructure such as phone and internet lines and a security system would also need to be extended from the campus to the property.

"We could move at least a medium-sized department over there if we choose to remodel it," he said. "I don't see it getting dozed and becoming a small parking lot. Those would be pretty expensive parking spaces, and we've already addressed future parking needs with the shared lot with the city (across Northwest Boulevard from the county campus)."

Riley said he doesn't expect a quick decision on the future of the property.

"With winter coming on and other projects going on, I don't see the county moving on it right away," he said.