(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -Dozens turned out Wednesday afternoon to an empty lot on Sprague in Spokane to celebrate the groundbreaking of a state of the art catalyst building.
This new building will transform the U-District in Spokane, even more, the building will generate the energy it uses through solar panels on the roof and additional renewable energy technologies.
"We'll make as much energy as this building will consume in operation but smartly connected to the grid," said Dean Allen, CEO of McKinstry.
Eastern Washington University will be moving 1,000 students and three programs to the new building. The programs that are transferring are EWU’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics its Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Visual Communication Design programs. This new five-story 159,000 square foot building will provide students with immersive learning experiences. EWU student body president Dante Tyler says it will give eastern students new opportunities
"I think from the student perspective it's really amazing for these students to be able to have these awesome opportunities to be in downtown Spokane," said Tyler.
EWU's spaces will feature modern, high-tech classrooms. Not only will this be creating an innovative space in the U-District its also transforming the neighborhood that it's in.
"We are going to invest a little bit more than in this neighborhood we are seeing here. A little more than 100 million dollars in the next two years of private sector capital going into these projects and that will be the start," added Allen.
Construction will be starting in late August with a completion date in April 2020.