After a four-month delay triggered by an appeal of previously approved design plans for a Marriott brand hotel, dubbed AC Coeur d'Alene, the new six-story lodging facility has been granted approval to proceed in downtown Coeur d'Alene.

Parker Lange, development manager at Bozeman, Montana-based Providence Development LLC, says the company had been working on plans to bring a custom-designed hotel to downtown Coeur d'Alene for a while and jumped at the chance to purchase the site at the southeast corner of Sherman Avenue and Sixth Street.

The 86,700-square-foot hotel will be constructed on two connected downtown parcels that make up more than a quarter of the city block at 602 E. Sherman, next to the Parkside tower.

"We're moving forward now, although it certainly did delay us a bit in the design process," Lange says.

North Idaho residents submitted over a dozen comments, the majority of which were opposed to the project due to traffic, noise, loss of green space, and building height concerns. A couple of comments received were supportive of the hotel for adding another lodging option for visitors, according to information in the city of Coeur d'Alene's Design Review Commission agenda meeting notes.

"I went to a hearing in January of this year, and got unanimous approval from the Design Review Commission," Lange says. "On June 4, at the appeal hearing, I got a 4-2 decision to affirm the approval."

At six stories tall, the structure will reach a height of 75 feet. Lange says the land-use zoning for the property allows structures up to 220 feet tall.

"Everyone was concerned about the height, but I don't think people realized (the height) is a use by right," he explains, referring to property development plans that fall within the land's current zoning designation.

Building permits for the 131-guest-room hotel are under review, and construction is expected to start by November, Lange says. 

"It's at least a 28-month build to get the parking in and to build the structure and open the hotel. We're looking at opening probably late spring or early summer of 2027," he says.

About 55% of the rooms will have king-size beds, and the remaining rooms will have two queen-size beds. Other amenities include a fitness center, an indoor-outdoor bar and lounge area featuring lake views on the top floor, and a large lobby with a bar and meeting spaces on the street level.

Underground parking will include 130 stalls throughout 2 1/2 levels underneath the structure.

"According to our engineer, we have some of the best material to build on and really good draining soil," says Lange. "The water table is actually quite a lot lower than I thought, so we don't anticipate hitting groundwater."

Lange declines to disclose the construction costs for the hotel until all construction bids are in hand. Permit information filed in Coeur d'Alene for the hotel shows a project value of over $25 million.

 CDA Hotel LLC, an entity of Providence Development, purchased the property in September, says Lange.

The Richardson Design Partnership LLC, of Salt Lake City, is designing the hotel. Dick Anderson Construction Inc., of Missoula, Montana, is the general contractor. Lake City Engineering Inc., of Coeur d'Alene, is providing engineering services.

"We use them quite a bit here in Bozeman," Lange says referring to the construction group. "The Richardson Design Partnership is a group out of Salt Lake City, and they've worked on probably 10 hotels of ours. We utilize all local subcontractors and trades."

Providence Development also received design approval in March for another hotel in North Idaho, a Residence Inn on Northwest Boulevard, in Coeur d'Alene.

"Not one single person provided comment or showed up to the public hearing, which was very different from the other," says Lange. 

"I think we've put together a really nice looking building," Lange adds. "From my perspective, having another hotel downtown will bring visitors and guests to town patronizing all the businesses on Sherman Avenue. I think it will really help disperse visitors throughout town rather solely congregated at the (Coeur d'Alene) Resort."

Project update:

*A new three-story, $7 million U-Haul self-storage facility is under construction in Post Falls, at 365 N. Herborn Place, in the Seltice Corridor.

A 116,500-square-foot building will have a showroom, an office, and a breakroom, according to building permit information on file with the city of Post Falls.

Amerco Real Estate Co., a Phoenix-based developer for U-Haul, purchased the 6.7-acre property in July 2022, according to Kootenai County property information.

Uprite Construction Corp., of Irvine, California, is the contractor, and MDG Architecture | Interiors, of Beaverton, Oregon, is the architect, permit information shows.

Representatives of Amerco couldn't be reached immediately for comment on the construction timeline or the number and size of the storage units planned.