Possible hotel deal in works

CITY HALL — The city wants to flesh out the details of a proposal to develop city-owned property in downtown with a boutique hotel.

The Glendale Redevelopment Agency voted 3-2 on Tuesday in favor of giving city staff members and officials from the firm Komar Investments Inc. 90 days to research a plan for the firm — in conjunction with Marriott, International — to develop a 100-plus-room Marriott Courtyard hotel on the corner of Wilson and Maryland avenues.

“I’m happy that Marriott is in the project,” Councilman Rafi Manoukian said, reflecting a general consensus among the other council members regarding Marriott’s reputation as a hotel operator.

Komar initially proposed the development of a 110-room, three-star hotel with a four-level subterranean parking structure at the current site of the Panda Inn and nearby city parking lot, city Director of Development Services Philip Lanzafame said.

But since that initial proposal, Komar has been in discussions with Marriott International for development of a Courtyard hotel — one of Marriott’s signature hotels — at the site, Lanzafame said.

Marriott officials made it clear at Tuesday’s meeting that the company is interested in breaking into Glendale’s market and would support making a financial investment and long-term management commitment toward a hotel at that site.

And City Manager Jim Starbird said that a Courtyard hotel would be a good pick for downtown.

“This is a homerun for the site,” he said.

While the majority of the council members agreed that they wanted to research the proposal and work out some of its details, two of the council members felt differently.

“I understand a hotel would be good there, but I believe philosophically, the best way to do it is to put out [a request for proposals for any use],” Mayor Dave Weaver said.

Councilman Frank Quintero questioned the idea of a hotel all together.

“At what point do you think Glendale is going to be over-roomed?” Quintero asked, citing the Hilton Glendale and other hotel projects that are in the pipeline for the downtown area.

Kevin Ingstrom, with the agency’s economic consulting firm Keyser Marston Associates, Inc., said there is a strong hospitality market right now and said that the different hotels would likely serve different people, making it OK.

But Quintero wasn’t completely convinced.

“The experts feel there is enough business to justify a hotel there, but I’m not exactly sure…. That’s a lot of hotel rooms. I’m not exactly sure that is the highest and best use for that property.”

QUESTION

Do you think a Marriott hotel should be built at the corner of Wilson and Louise, possibly displacing the Panda Inn? E-mail gnp@latimes.com or write to News-Press and Leader Community Forum, 111 W. Wilson Ave. Suite 200, Glendale, CA 91203. Please include your name and tell us your hometown and phone number for verification purposes only.