Marriott to build 108-room hotel

COEUR d'ALENE — A site along Coeur d'Alene's busiest gateway that has been home to low-income residents is slated to be transformed into a 108-room, four-story Marriott International hotel.

Property adjacent to the Garden Motel along Northwest Boulevard is scheduled to become a 56,000-square-foot Fairfield Inn and Suites, which operates under the Marriott umbrella.

The Coeur d'Alene City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a zone change from residential to commercial for 1.28 acres on property east of the Garden Motel. The hotel would be built on a 4.5-acre site that includes the motel.

The city's Design Review Commission will hold a public hearing on the development plan on a date to be determined likely in February or March.

Property owner Ron Ayers said the council's approval on the zone change request, which was unanimously recommended for approval by the Planning Commission in December, was an important step to develop the site.

"I appreciate council engaging our vision for it," Ayers said. "We are actively working on a development plan for the rest of this site with frontage on Northwest Boulevard. The Marriott agreement allows me 18 months to break ground, plus available extensions, and we are working accordingly."

Ayers said demolition of homes along Davidson Avenue will begin soon, but the Garden will remain in operation as long as two more years. He said he's working to incorporate Lean Bean Espresso, which also exists on the site, into the development plan.

Becki Pearson, who has lived at the Garden for just over a year, said the site has provided affordable housing for people such as herself, including some who are transitioning back into society after serving time in prison.

She said Wednesday she was disappointed to learn about the plans for the site, but she also understands her apartment is on prime property.

"One day at a time," she said. "It's not going to do any good to worry."

Pearson said the location has suited her needs because it's what she can afford on her 25-hours-a-week job and it's within walking distance to work. She said the property has been cleaned up since she started living there.

"It's helped me achieve what I need to achieve — I'm still sober," she said. "God put me here for a reason. I try to keep a positive attitude."

Still, being forced to move is difficult for anyone no matter how it's sliced, she said.

"It's going to affect people's lives," she said softly. "It's just one more hardship for the underprivileged."

The hotel would be built on 2.5 acres up the hill off Northwest Boulevard between Emma Avenue and Davidson with a half-acre buffer between it and the homes behind it. The conceptual plan is to build a restaurant and a bank fronting Northwest Boulevard with a 170-stall parking lot between those businesses and the hotel.

"This is the last big piece along Northwest Boulevard that has not been redeveloped," said Dick Stauffer, of Miller Stauffer Architects. "The ma and pa business (Garden Motel owned by Ayers) has long outlived its usefulness."

Stauffer said he believes the proposal fits the city's vision for Northwest Boulevard.

"We're big believers in infill development rather than sprawl," he said. "It will be an asset to the city. It expands on the city's reputation that's built on tourism. It will help dress up the gateway in addition to what has already been done."