Montvale Hotel LLC, a company controlled by Spokane developer Rob Brewster Jr., is moving forward with plans to renovate part of the Montvale Block building downtown into a 36-room hotel.


The city of Spokane issued a building permit for the $930,000 renovation project earlier this month, and Brewster says work is slated to get under way during the first week of March. He hopes to be able to have guest rooms available by late summer.


The three-story Montvale building, which was constructed in 1899 and originally housed a hotel, is located at the southwest corner of First Avenue and Monroe Street. It houses Far West Billiards on the first floor and The Catacombs Pub & Eatery in the basement.


The planned Montvale Hotels entrance and lobby will be located just west of the billiards establishment, and its guest rooms will take the buildings entire second and third floors. Conference rooms also are planned in the hotel.


Brewster says Montvale Hotel LLC will operate the hotel, and Catacombs will provide room service initially. Another restaurant is planned in a space to the west of the planned location of the lobby, but details arent available yet, he says.


Room rates for the hotel are expected to range from $99 to $169 a night, Brewster says, and between 10 and 15 full- and part-time employees will work there.


For almost seven years, Brewster has mulled various uses for the Montvale Blocks upper floors, including converting them to office space or loft-style apartment units. Ultimately, he decided to return the space to its original use as a hotel.


This building provides some of the classic views of Spokane, Brewster says. This will create an inn district of sorts, with the Davenport (Hotel) and (Hotel) Lusso nearby.


Vandervert Construction Inc., of Spokane, will be the general contractor on the renovation work, and Environomic Design, of Spokane, designed it.