Hotel rooms will be converted into residential units at the Travelodge Red Deer. City council approved a bylaw amendment adding a site exception at 2807-50th Avenue to allow for the change in the commercial zoned area in Bower on Monday.
Planner and architect on the project, George Berry told council this is an exciting project along the city’s main corridor that will provide a type of housing that is currently unavailable in Red Deer.
A maximum of 47 one-bedroom multiple family residential units in the back of the hotel will be converted into multi-family housing units under 500-square feet.
Forty-three units in the front of the Travelodge will remain as hotel rooms.
The owners have not determined whether the apartments will be rental or condominiums but are leaning toward condominiums.
Berry said they are looking at the starter market and those working in Red Deer in fields like construction who may not want to live in the suburbs or those working at the Bower Place Shopping Centre.
The area is currently zoned as C4 Commercial (major arterial) District. The approval allows a site exception which allows residential as a permitted use.
“We’re hoping work will get started early in the new year,” said Berry. “And they will be available for a (spring) move in.”