‘I think it’s super-exciting’: New effort underway to convert downtown Redmond motel into affordable apartments

(Update: adding comments from Urban Renewal Program manager, businesses)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- There are plans to revamp the rundown Village Squire Motel in Redmond into affordable workforce housing.

The motel has been around for 60 years, but closed two years ago.

Developers bought the motel a year ago, with plans to convert it into apartments. That project did not work out, and eventually the property went back on the market, officials say. 

Chuck Arnold, Redmond’s Urban Renewal Program manager, says Hayden Homes is now in the process of buying it. The goal is to create affordable places for people to live and work downtown. 

"This will give an opportunity for people that work downtown to live downtown, get more feet on the street, to visit our businesses and restaurants and really enjoy our beautiful downtown." Arnold said Monday.

The plan calls for 20 to 25 micro-efficiency studio apartments, each a couple hundred square feet.

Some will be priced at the market rate, while others will be rent-restricted.

"If the units are deed-restricted, they would be deed-restricted for somebody that that can afford a rent of about $1,000 a month. So it would be in line with the amount that they're making." Arnold explained.

Business owners in downtown Redmond support the planned changes to the property.

"I think it's great," said Gloria Rice, the owner of High Desert Florals. "Getting more people in downtown is always a huge plus for us as store owners. Having something that's been around for a long time be renovated into something really interesting, I think it's super-exciting."

Erica Davis, owner of Harcourts the Garner Group, said, "Redmond is a great community, and it's thriving, and there's just so much walkability to everything. Fantastic businesses downtown. And you know, we need more places for people to live."

This project is still in the early stages of development. The Redmond City Council will discuss it next month. 

Another downtown project will soon bring another nine units on Fir Avenue. Construction of that development is expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.