L.A. firm proposes mixed-use facility for Pullman

Pullman could soon have some new parking and apartment options downtown, as well as added commercial space. Fields Holdings LLC of Los Angeles has proposed a mixed-use facility at the current site of Washington Federal Bank on Pullman's Main Street.

“College communities are attractive to a lot of real estate developers,” said Pete Dickinson, Pullman's planning director. “This group has also built or proposed other similar developments in other college towns.”

The proposed 42,000-square foot facility would house 8,500 square feet of commercial space, two levels of parking and three levels of apartments. The upper three floors would house 82 apartments of varying size, and the lower two floors would house 142 parking spaces. The facility is proposed to be 60 feet high.

“It's always good to see that kind of investment or proposed investment in Pullman,” said Dickinson. “It shows that we're a place that can attract outside resources and that Pullman is a growing, vibrant community.”

Dickinson said Fields Holdings is also currently working on a mixed-used facility nearby in Moscow. That facility is on Moscow's Main Street at the site of Dominos Pizza. Dickinson said he sees a facility such as this helping downtown businesses.

“There will be more immediate residential, and it would provide more space for commercial development,” he said.

Dickinson said in early conversations with the group, he mentioned parking as an issue that “almost always comes up with every project.” He said that when he mentioned this to the group, they immediately changed their plans from one level of parking to two.

“Just based off of one conversation, they addressed it quite quickly,” he said. “They are very cooperative and very responsive.”

The proposed development is still in early stages, and the next stage will be a public hearing that will likely be scheduled in January, Dickinson said. He added that the project also has some things to clear with the city's board of adjustment, which will also likely take place at the public comment session.

“We're still uncertain of when that public hearing is going to be, but we're shooting for January,” he said. “We are continuing to move it through our internal review process.”

Some of the items to address with the board of adjustment include being allowed to build more apartments than what is currently allowed in the downtown area, as well as building in the flood plain. Pullman's zoning code allows only 41 apartments to be built in a downtown structure, and the proposed development is double that. The code also does not allow units to be built in a flood plain without a variance. Dickinson noted, though, that there are apartments in upstairs spaces of downtown buildings, so a variance could be likely.

The developers will also have to obtain a site plan review, building permit, shoreline permit and a demolition permit. The demolition permit would be to demolish the current Washington Federal Bank building. The bank is proposed as a part of the development and would temporarily relocate during construction.

Dickinson said Fields Holdings' timeline for the project has construction starting in April or May next year and complete around August 2018.