Historic Redmond Hotel gets new lease on life

The Historic Redmond Hotel hasn’t been a hotel for quite some time. That is changing soon, with the help of the city of Redmond.

The city offered a forgivable loan to the best downtown business idea. The city plans to loan up to $500,000 to the plan that meets criteria like job development etc.

They only received one proposal, but officials say they are excited about it.

It came from Mark Bates, a Portland entrepreneur. He wants to fix up the Historic Redmond Hotel in the downtown core, and turn it back into a hotel.

“It’s actually one of the proposals we wanted to come in,” Redmond Community Development Director Heather Richards said Friday. “It’s one of our catalytic buildings downtown that we wanted to see revitalized.”

It’s a prime location, located near the corner of Sixth Street and Evergreen Avenue. Most of the space inside is unused at present, though. Bates wants to fill those empty rooms and turn on the old-fashioned “No Vacancy” sign outside.

“He has experience with hotels,” Richards said.

If Bates meets the criteria the proposal within five years, the city would forgive 20 percent of the loan.

“We still have some details we’re working through,” Richards said.

The business proposal is not yet complete. Richards says they’re looking at about 40 rooms, and as many as 20 jobs. That doesn’t include jobs that could be added by construction and service.

The hotel is a staple of the downtown area. Many residents hope the developer keeps up its old-school charm.

“I often describe Redmond as a Norman Rockewell town,” Richards said.

The hotel was built in the early 1900s. It burned down and was rebuilt in 1928 to what it is today . Officials say the developer will keep and refurbish it, not redo it.

“He’s going to restore the building and keep its historic ambiance. It’s going to be a boutique hotel,” Richards said.