A new mixed-use development plan for downtown Pullman, to be built on the site of the Washington Federal Bank building, is going through the application process.

The project, “The Mix on Main,” would level the bank and its parking lot, according to a Pullman Planning Department newsletter. A 41,500-square-foot, five-story building would be built in its place, with a retail center on the bottom floor and the rest of the building being made into apartments, according to the newsletter.

The project is expected to bring more foot traffic into the Pullman area, said Marie Dymkoski, the Pullman Chamber of Commerce executive director. There is no word yet on which retail companies will be moving into the bottom floor, but more companies are expected to lease the building once all the permits are completed, Dymkoski said.

So far only one company has signed a lease for the new building — the Pullman branch of the Washington Federal Bank.

Alan Hodges, the branch manager, said the building is in need of a remodel, and Washington Federal is looking for temporary facility options for when construction starts.

“We’re excited for the new building,” Hodges said.

Fields Holding, LLC, designed the new building, their first project in Pullman.

“The company is looking to work more closely with college towns and is excited to be working with the city of Pullman,” Dymkoski said.

Fields Holding also has a project starting in Moscow, she said.

Pete Dickinson, Pullman City Planning director, said before a cost can be determined, Fields Holding has to finish submitting its applications and getting permission from Pullman.

The city will hold a public hearing about Fields Holding’s request to double the housing from 41 apartments to 83, Dymkoski said. A date has not been set for this hearing, but it is expected to happen in mid-January, Dickinson said.

The project is due to start in April 2017 and is scheduled to be completed by August 2018, according to the newsletter. Before that can happen, Fields Holding must submit applications for demolition and flood plain development and complete building permits. The company must also submit its Environmental Checklist, according to the newsletter.

“We’re really excited for the continued growth and to keep the local dollars in Pullman,” Dymkoski said.