Hotel project mulled at Kalispell council session

A proposed hotel in downtown Kalispell got its first round of public perusal during a Kalispell City Council work session Monday night, with proponents and opponents weighing in on the sizable development project.

The city reviewed a proposal from Montana Hotel Dev Partners for a $47 million hotel at the corner of Third Street West and Main Street, which would come with a three-story, 165-stall parking garage at the intersection of First Avenue and First Street West.

The ambitious plans are subject to the council's approval, which isn't expected until September at the earliest.

"All that will come to a more clear resolution in the future," Kalispell City Manager Doug Russell said. "It'll take a while to work through the development agreement."

The application for the Charles Hotel was the only submission the city received between December 2020 and a July 9 deadline, but there's no guarantee the proposal will receive the endorsement of a project selection committee and the City Council.

Proponents of the Charles Hotel were enthusiastic about the potential to redevelop downtown Kalispell, add a parking garage and increase tax flow in the city.

"It's going to do wonders for our downtown. It's going to do wonders for our downtown businesses," said Tony Brockman during the public comment portion of the work session.

Others weren't so sure about the benefits of the proposal.

Some cited concerns about the impact of taking away parking at Third and Main streets. A few suggested residential development would be a better use of the space. And not everyone was happy about the city giving the land, appraised at around $280,000, to the developer at no cost, in exchange for future taxes.

"It's kind of a slap in the face when the city is so open to a development that mainly caters to tourism and takes up valuable space that could be utilized to house residents and the working class that actually live here," said Holly Keefe.

The next step is a discussion between the five members of the project selection committee.

THE HOTEL was one of two transformative proposals discussed at Monday's work session. The council also considered the city's long-term transportation plan known as "Move 2040."

Wade Kline gave a comprehensive overview of potential changes to the city's transportation infrastructure, including 90 possible road improvements.

Some of those changes include adding a turn lane along Four Mile Drive and Rose Crossing, extending Whitefish Stage Road south to the intersection of East Center Street and Woodland Avenue, and installing additional roundabouts at busy intersections.

However, council member Ryan Hunter criticized the plan's focus on increasing capacity on Kalispell roads, instead of investing in alternative modes of transportation.

Hunter's view was backed up by local planning consultant Mayre Flowers, the only public commenter who weighed in on the plan.

Hunter proposed the city put a pause on Move 2040 discussions in order to first review the city's growth policy. The council was scheduled to vote on the plan on Sept. 7.

Finally, Russell, the city manager, announced the city will soon start monitoring and enforcing overnight parking at the city-owned parking lot at the intersection of 18th Street West and Airport Road, where recreational vehicles have started to proliferate.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at 406-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.