EPHRATA - Grant County officials plan to interview architects to design a new building for the Grant County Community Development department.

The county commissioners and department officials chose to interview Spokane-based Bernardo Wills, Yakima-based Traho Architects and Wenatchee-based M J Neal Associates about possibly designing the estimated 7,000 square-foot building.

"Our debate is whether we put a second story on that because those are less expensive spaces for future growth," Commissioner Carolann Swartz said. "Possibly, and we're just playing around with things about moving departments and providing more room, we definitely could use more courtroom space and that kind of thing."

The county received 30 inquiries and 18 brochures from possible architecture firms before deciding to interview three of them, Community Development Director Dave Nelson said.

The decision to pursue a new building comes after the county decided to move a portion of the department from space the county was renting in the Bureau of Reclamation building, she said. They consolidated the department into a building it is renting near the courthouse.

Nelson said they aren't crowded in the present space yet, since the department has lost seven employees during the past year and a half.

"There's one open office which goes to the GIS (geographic information systems) coordinator and when that is filled, we're on top of each other," he said.

The county is paying about $38,000 a year for the present location, Nelson said.

Prior to negotiating a lower price in a two-year contract, Commissioner Richard Stevens said the county was paying $60,000 a year between the two locations.

"In this climate, right now, we can probably get a loan ... that is paid off in seven years or so," he said. "We can finance a great deal of this with what we're already paying in rent, so that makes it a lot easier."

Swartz said if the county can come up with the money it is the opportune time to build since bid prices are lower than normal.