Possible downtown hotel sways parking talks
There is consensus among city council that the lack of downtown parking is a problem — it was recently voted as a top priority tax increment finance project.
Areas mentioned for parking structures at a recent work session are the current surface lot at Second Street and Spokane Avenue, above the BN Railway parking lot near the O’Shaughnessy, and at Third Street and Central Avenue.
The validity of those sites, however, appear to hinge on whether a rumored downtown boutique hotel might be built. Mayor John Muhlfeld told council investors were in fact interested in talking with the city about the possibility of a hotel on the empty lots at the corner of Central Avenue and First Street next to Craggy Range.
Those lots have been vacant since the early 1980s after Markus grocery moved to the mall. Ownership of the land has since changed hands a few times and is now owned by Whitefish Frontiers LLC. At one point, developer Tom Donahue had planned to build a boutique hotel on the lots, as called for in the 2005 Downtown Master Plan.
“Before this goes too much further, we need to talk to the people [who want to build a hotel] and see if they’re seriously interested,” councilman Phil Mitchell said at a March 19 meeting.
Bill Kahle agreed that a private hotel venture seriously influences the city’s decision about where to put parking.
Frontier Builders owner Eric Payne, who is a partner in Whitefish Frontiers, confirmed to the Pilot that they had already met with the city. He said they are strictly in the conceptual phase with no concrete plans.
“Are we leaning toward possibly a hotel?” he said. “Yes. We want to make sure the city is OK before we get too far into the design process.”
City manager Chuck Stearns told the Pilot that TIF money could be put toward bringing in such a private venture and that the most likely scenario would be to assist with public parking.
The location of a new city hall could also influence where a parking structure could be built, council noted, although the Future City Hall Ad Hoc Committee has yet to meet.
The Downtown Master Plan names a new city hall as a priority catalyst project and a downtown hotel as a catalyst project. The plan suggests a parking structure at Second and Central as a priority catalyst project.
In 2008, plans for a parking garage at that site were shot down by council. Cost estimates for that parking structure were as high as $6.6 million and included 218 spaces, three levels and store fronts facing Second Street.
Councilman John Anderson leans toward the Second and Spokane site, but firmly argued that the city should first refresh the Downtown Master Plan so council has a better idea of where parking would be most effective. The plan was first crafted by consultant firm Crandall Arambula, of Portland.
“Before making a decision [on parking] — we’re talking about several millions of dollars — our priority should be to refresh downtown master plan,” Anderson said.
“Without a plan, we’re guessing. I’m not comfortable with guessing with taxpayer money.”
Chris Hyatt countered that the council has the resources to make the decision without going back to consultants.
“We only have so many places to put parking,” he said. “I question paying someone to tell us where to put parking or bringing in a consultant to do what we are grinding through ourselves.”