GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY, WA-Duke Energy North America has broken ground on a $300-million electric power generating facility about 32 miles west of Olympia. The 600-megawatt, combined-cycle power plant, will be located in the Satsop Development Park

OLYMPIA, WA-In an effort to meet legislator demands and cut administrative costs by $3 million, the state Department of Social and Health Services plans to close offices where leases are slated to expire soon and consolidate offices where caseloads have dwindled.

BOTHELL, WA-The purchase, by W.G. Clark Construction Co., includes a 65,000-sf call center and land for another 25,000-sf building. Spiegel, a direct marketer of soft goods, leases the call center related to its Eddie Bauer division.

SEATTLE-Harbor Steps has received an Award for Excellence from the Urban Land Institute. Distributed annually, the awards are considered among the real estate industry's most prestigious.

FIFE, WA-CrabApple Beach LLC will buy a 177-acre parcel here from Heartland Partners LP. The company intends to begin work on a residential complex with the possibility of purchasing more property in phases between now and 2004.

SEATTLE-Seattle's Best Coffee opened its first "Cafe of the Future" this week. Designed to increase the company's customer service, the new cafes rolling out in the future will boast tasting tables and condiment bars.

SPOKANE, WA-WestCoast Hospitality Corp. has secured $62.9 million in permanent financing for a portfolio of four hotels, comprised of 1,038 rooms. Los Angeles-based Sonnenblick-Eichner Co. completed the transaction.

SEATTLE-Prompted in part by the recent terrorist attacks, locally-based essention Inc. and WPS work quickly to aid the real estate industry in its emergency planning and recovery operations online.