Though land for the site was purchased by the Federal Government in 1903 at a cost of $100,000, construction of the first major federal building constructed in the "Inland Empire" did not begin until 1908, with completion following in 1909. On Riverside Avenue, it is one block east of the Riverside Avenue Historic District. The Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, James Knox Taylor, designed the building in the years 1906 and 1907. What emanated from his drafting table was a building influenced both by Beaux Arts Classicism and the Second Renaissance Revival.
The original building was 178' x 109' in size and surrounded a a 63' x 48' light court in its centre. As is the norm, Spokane eventually outgrew the building, necessitating expansion. This was effected by purchasing land to the north and adding to the north end of the building in a manner that harmonized and matched perfectly with the old. The architect for the expansion was Louis A. Simon, then Supervising Architect of the Federal Works Administration. At the same time the lobby was enlarged 16' in width and 78' in length.
Since 1941, relatively few alterations have been done to the building, leaving the building with a general appearance very similar to when it was built. In 1994 major non-cosmetic work was done with high efficiency lighting, modern elevators, and new HVAC equipment being installed. Many interior public spaces also underwent renovation and restoration.
The building is now a National Historic Place.
An interesting aside:
Shortly after the post office was built, rats were discovered in the basement. To remedy the problem seven cats became residents for a year or so at an annual cost to the government of $18 per cat.
Following is the entry for the Spokane Federal Building in
Washington: a guide to the Evergreen State.
Points of Interest
1. The FEDERAL BUILDING and POST OFFICE, NW. corner Riverside Ave. and Lincoln St., a three-story, gray-stone building of
Roman Classic design, was built in 1909 at a cost of $600,000. It houses the Federal Land Office, the offices of several other Government departments, and the United States District and Circuit courts. Wide granite steps, with granite buttresses surmounted by ornamental lamps, lead up to the principal entrance on Riverside Avenue. The main entablature is supported by huge Ionic columns; and above the cornice is a decorative parapet. The main corridor merits special attention, with its marble floors, golden oak panels, and Gothic arches.
From Washington: a guide to the Evergreen State Page 256