SANDPOINT - Goodwill Industries plans to open a new 16,500-square-foot facility in Ponderay that will incorporate retail space, a program services office, and areas for processing donated goods, said a spokesperson for the company.

The land, located at 204 Larkspur St., was purchased from Crystal Creek LLC for $780,000 using financing from special tax-exempt bonds.

Groundbreaking is contingent on when snow melts, but construction should be under way sometime this spring with the goal of an October opening.

Thirty-three employees working at Sandpoint's current Goodwill will transfer to the new facility, and another five or six will be hired when the facility is completed.

Public relations manager Diane Galloway said the new facility will incorporate and enhance several programs that are already staples to North Idaho, like service coordination and vocational services.

Service coordination aims to offer available resources to people with disabilities, while vocational services link participants with jobs that match their skills and needs.

Another program that will be available is All Stars, which brings staff into elementary schools to help prevent substance abuse by using confidence-building tactics and incentives to educate children on the dangers of drug use.

Employees at the current Sandpoint location are already excited about the move and the added space they will soon have.

“I think it's just going to be great,” said employee Martha Turner. “We're all terribly excited to have more space. We need more space.”

Galloway said donations continue to be the lifeblood of Goodwill's operations, so the Ponderay facility will feature a drive-through drop-off area that will make donating easier for local residents.