The upper floors of the former Stanford Inn could be ready for corporate tenants by March.
The 4707 50th St. hotel was sold earlier this year and renamed the Coronation Inn. At that time, selling agent Ralph Salomons of Ralph Salomons Commercial Inc. said the new owner planned to convert the upper two floors of the four-storey building into office space.
He added that the Tandoor & Grill restaurant and O’Malley’s Pub would continue to operate on the main floor, as would the guest rooms on the second floor and conference rooms on the lower level. These areas are all being leased to Anil Handa.
On Tuesday, Salomons said renovations to third and fourth floors — which consist of about 17,500 square feet — will commence in the new year.
“Basically, they’re gutting it and changing it,” he said, adding that other upgrades will be done to satisfy current fire code requirements.
Once work has been completed, the new office space will be suitable for a variety of users, said Salomons. Sizing and configuration can be done to the specific requirements of tenants, he added.
Originally built in the mid-1960s, the hotel building operated as the Granada Inn and Court House Inn before becoming a Stanford Hotels and Resorts property in 2000.
The current owner, according to Land Titles records, is a numbered Alberta company. Daniel and Frances Ding of Red Deer are listed as its directors and voting shareholders.
The hotel has about 60 guest rooms, with a third of these on the second floor.
Salomons said previously that the hotel was underutilized because of its location and the fact it wasn’t part of a large chain. But he believes it has good potential as an office building, given its proximity to the courthhouse and City Hall.