A shift toward empowerment, protection and support for vulnerable individuals is symbolized by the sale of a former gentleman's club at 8722 E. Sprague Ave. to the Helping Captives ministry, which plans to turn the property into a women's safety center.
The new center would provide resources including emergency shelter, counseling and advocacy to the community.
For repurposing a location previously associated with debauchery and objectification of women and providing a sanctuary to those in need, the transaction was selected by a panel of real estate industry professionals to receive CoStar's 2025 Impact Award for sale/acquisition of the year in Spokane.
About the project: Helping Captives purchased the retail property for $915,000.
What the judges said: The buyer broker described this as a difficult sale because of the history of the property, which is undergoing a major transformation. "This will be a great upgrade to what was previously there, bringing new life to a sleepy part of town," said Bryn West, vice president of leasing and operations at Cowles Real Estate Group.
They made it happen: Jim Orcutt of NAI Black helped initiate the sale as the buyer broker. Kiemle and Hagood's Steve McIntosh also assisted the sale as the managing broker.
Senior Research Consultant Lucy Bingham contributed.