SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash.—The Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has signed a lease agreement with the Spokane Conservation District to become the anchor tenant at the district’s new multitenant office building at the Quarry Campus on 8th Avenue in Spokane Valley.
The Washington SBDC, which is a cooperative program between Washington State University and the U.S. Small Business Administration, will occupy about 5,300 square feet in the Partnership building of the Quarry Campus.
The building will house the network’s administrative offices, two SBDC certified business advisors and the market intelligence research team comprised of university students from across the region. The Washington SBDC network includes more than 40 business advisors working in communities across the state and about 15 support staff, most of whom are in Spokane.
“The mission of the Washington SBDC is to help small businesses grow and succeed through advising, education and research,” said Washington SBDC State Director Sheryl McGrath. “Finding this location on the campus with the SCD, whose mission is complementary to ours, is a wonderful opportunity to serve small businesses and provide confidential, no-cost individualized advising all while strengthening our community.”
Locating the SBDC at the Quarry Campus fits well with the Spokane Conservation District’s (SCD) concept of the site as a community gathering space to promote stewardship of the land and sustainable economic development, said Vicki Carter, the SDC’s district director.
“We look forward to a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership with the SBDC and truly believe this is a perfect fit for the campus and future plans we have for offering services to our community,” she said.
The Partnership Building totals 15,000 square feet, which includes common spaces, a conference area and office space for potentially three additional tenants. The building is in the final stages of construction and a tentative move-in date for the Washington SBDC is set for late summer.
The building and site were designed by Integrus Architecture PS and AHBL Inc., both Spokane-based firms. Kilgore Construction Inc. in Colbert is the general contractor on the multitenant building.
The Spokane Conservation District purchased the abandoned rock quarry in 2017 and moved into a new 12,500-square-foot building on the site in 2021.
Future plans for the site include an innovative, year-round farmers market and a commissary kitchen which will provide much needed infrastructure and resources to help early-stage entrepreneurs, farmers and other local food producers sell directly to consumers.
“When that happens, the SBDC will be here ready to assist those entrepreneurs with whatever challenges they face,” McGrath said. “We see this as an exciting opportunity to support our community in multiple ways.”
About the Washington SBDC
The Washington SBDC is a network of more than 40 business advisors, including three international trade business advisors, who provide one-on-one, confidential, no-cost advising to business owners who want to start, grow or buy/sell a business. Washington State University is the statewide host of the Washington SBDC. Funding for the SBDC program is provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington State Department of Commerce, WSU and other institutions of higher education, economic development agencies, municipalities, and civic and business groups.
About the Spokane Conservation District
Spokane Conservation District is one of 45 conservation districts in the state of Washington and has 16 full-time employees. The organization is charged with the voluntary management of natural resources, although it’s a nonregulatory agency with no enforcement authority.
