Plans submitted for new hotel off U.S. 93
A new hotel was planned for just off U.S. Highway 93 near the south end of Whitefish. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Plans have come forward for a new hotel just off U.S. Highway 93 near the south end of Whitefish.
Rimrock Companies is proposing to construct an 85-room hotel on the property in a recently created commercial subdivision just north of the First Baptist Church. The company, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a national commercial real estate development firm with a portfolio of major commercial and residential development projects.
The hotel planned to be 35 feet in height would face Hedman Lane, a newly created street in the subdivision that accesses the highway, according to plans submitted by the developer to the City of Whitefish.
Greg Gastineau, with Rimrock, said the company is still exploring options for the hotel but several brands have expressed interest in the project. The plans will be further developed if the project gains city approval, he noted.
“The area is experiencing an all time high in hotel occupancy so we think this makes sense,” he told the Pilot. “We’re looking at an extended stay hotel that would be designed for those staying for 30 days or more. That’s the fastest growing segment of the hospitality industry.”
Gastineau said Rimrock has already been involved with a number of previous projects in Whitefish and in Montana.
The property proposed for the hotel is zoned WB-2 secondary business, which allows for hotels with a conditional use permit. Plans call for 93 parking spaces and a 20-foot greenbelt buffer to the west and a greenbelt buffer to the south of the hotel, and additional landscaping along with trees is planned.
The company is seeking a conditional use permit from the city to construct the hotel. The request is set to go before the Whitefish Planning Board for a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 16. Also on the board’s agenda that night, is a separate request to construct a boutique hotel on Central Avenue.
Averill Hospitality last month announced its plans to construct a 40-room hotel at the vacant corner lot at Central Avenue and First Street. The site is next to the Craggy Range downtown and has long been discussed as having the potential for a hotel.
The company is also seeking a conditional use permit from the city for the project. The planning board is set to consider the item on Sept. 16.
The 95 Karrow project on the north end of Karrow Avenue on the former Idaho Timber site includes plans for a 70-room hotel as part of the mixed-use development. That project was originally approved by the city in 2018, but has recently come forward with changes to its overall plan.
The last time a new hotel opened in Whitefish was in 2018. There are currently about 1,400 hotel rooms in town.