Remodeling of the Spokane Transit Authority Plaza is finally ready to get underway. In the plans since 2008, the Plaza’s $3.5 million face lift has been delayed for multiple reasons.
According to the Spokesman-Review, the yearlong construction project starts in April and will consolidate transit services on the first floor and renovate the second floor for other uses.
Here is what the remodel includes:
- Customer service will be moved from the second to the first floor and combined with security.
- The Sprague Avenue side of the building will be opened up with indoor waiting areas and windows.
- Retail space on the second floor will be eliminated and new retail space will be built on the west wall of the first floor to go along with an existing Subway sandwich shop.
- The first-floor rotunda will be made available as commercial space.
- The existing escalator will be removed and a new escalator built along the south wall.
- The two cougar sculptures will be moved to the exterior of a new elevator on the south side.
- An interior construction wall will be erected so bus operations can continue during the work.
Major work will be performed at night so as to not disrupt Plaza operations. The Plaza will close to riders at 8 p.m. Bus loading zones will not be changed.