New Redwood City hotel officially approved

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites at 1690 Broadway is the first hotel to be approved in Redwood City since the passage of the Downtown Precise Plan in 2011. Commissioners were excited to have an additional and “much-needed” hotel in the city and they’re of course excited about the tax revenue.

“Overall, this is a great project and we desperately need hotels,” said Commissioner Rick Hunter. “This might bring in as much as $1 million a year in transient occupancy tax. … That’s a substantial benefit to the city.”

The 77,057-square-foot hotel will be just over 57 feet tall with a 64-foot tall tower element at the corner, which is higher than is allowed in the area. Commissioners granted the exception because the building is mostly under the 60-foot threshold and because they felt it looked better at the proposed height.

“For me I don’t have a problem going to a fifth floor because we’re below our height regulation and I also happen to think the building looks better a little taller, it doesn’t look as squatty, it’s a more attractive building,” said Commissioner Nancy Radcliffe.

The project was also granted a reduced parking ratio of 0.84 spaces per guest room for a total of 94 spaces with a parking lift system.

Principal Planner Diana O’Dell suggested the current requirement of one parking space per guest room is excessive.

“We are finding that the older ratio of one space per room, which was common among a lot of cities that adopted parking ratios 15 years ago, really do seem to be out of date based on extensive parking surveys that we’re getting for hotel rooms because of ridesharing and general preferences have changed so hotels parked at that full rate tend to have underutilized spaces,” she said.

The 17-room Garden Motel, which currently sits on the site and will soon be torn down, was built 40 years ago. Patel and his family will continue to own and operate the new hotel.

In other business, the council received a presentation on the bicycle and pedestrian upgrades proposed for a stretch of El Camino Real in Redwood City. The presentation was similar to one given at a City Council meeting the week before and no action was taken.

Redwood City spokeswoman Meghan Horrigan said the conceptual designs will continue to be refined and studied and council direction will be sought when opportunities arise for pilot testing, funding or implementation of the proposals.