SPOKANE, Wash. — The current occupants at the future location of Spokane’s first Chick-fil-A have started to move out.
Automotive Specialties Auto Sales posted on Facebook Friday that they’ve started to move their business from 9304 N. Newport Highway to 8815 North Division Street.
A notice on the City of Spokane’s website dated Dec. 16, 2019 says the restaurant’s Binding Site Plan application for a location on Newport Highway was approved.
According to the letter, the building permit became effective on Jan. 2, 2020 and will expire on Dec. 16, 2024 if a final binding site plan application has not been submitted or an extension prior to the expiration date has not been requested.
A City of Spokane spokesperson previously told KREM 2 in January that the final building permits for the restaurant were “under review.”
KREM reported in September 2019 that the company filed two building permits for a location at 9304 N. Newport Highway. Confusion abounded, though, after the company tweeted on Aug. 30 that it had no immediate plans to open a location in Spokane.
Spokane's ongoing Chick-fil-A saga began in August 2018, when the company's website said a location was "coming soon" to Gonzaga University, which school leaders later denied. The company said an online error was to blame.
New documents on the city’s website say that the current Spokane project proposes a 4,833-square-foot building, with 96 interior seats and 16 patio seats, a playground, and a dual order drive-thru lane with capacity for 28 vehicles.
The project also proposes one access drive to the business from E. Hoerner Street.
Site plans say the existing piece of land will be split to create two properties, but only the western portion of the existing piece of land will be developed. The remaining eastern portion will remain undeveloped until a new user is established, documents say.