Plans for new boutique hotel in downtown Glendale could be drawn up within six months
Downtown Glendale could be getting a 130-room boutique hotel, a type of business some city leaders have been pushing for the past several years.
The City Council voted 5-0 on Tuesday to grant the Indigo Hotel chain six months to come up with plans to build a new location on a city-owned parking lot at Maryland and California avenues.
The 22,000-square-foot site is directly behind an L.A. Fitness gym.
Boutique hotels tend to be higher-end places to stay — something some council members have been recommending in the downtown area.
The two main places to stay nearby are the Hilton and Embassy Suites, and they don’t always have enough space, said Councilwoman Laura Friedman.
She said special events often lead to room reservations filling up quickly, which has been an issue when her parents come to visit.
“To have another hotel with that huge a price point, but not an outrageous price point is going to serve a very good need here in Glendale,” Friedman said.
Hotel Indigos — under the umbrella of the Intercontinental Hotel Group — all look different from each other, said Darlene Sanchez, the city’s principal economic development officer.
“Hotel Indigo focuses on creating a unique boutique atmosphere designed specifically for the neighborhoods they’re located in,” she said.
With the council’s vote, the city enters into an agreement not to lease the property to any other party until R3 Real Estate Developers, which will manage the hotel, returns with its proposal.
R3 will also have to replace the 65 parking spaces in the city-owned lot in addition to parking it will provide for its customers, Sanchez said.
“Our ultimate goal is to get a five-star hotel here in Glendale and hopefully that will happen. This is a great way to begin, to get a very nice three-star boutique hotel in our city,” said Councilwoman Paula Devine. “It looks like it will be kind of suited for travelers and young people who come to our city. It’ll be a real shot in the arm on Maryland.”
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
