LYNNWOOD — A company that wants to build two hotels just south of the Target store got the last City Hall OK it needed Monday to move ahead.
Legacy Hospitality Group Inc. plans to build a six-story 130-room Garden Inn and a six-story, 120-room Homewood Suites on 3 acres off Alderwood Mall Parkway just north of Alderwood mall.
Construction is expected to begin next summer and take about 14 months.
City officials say the new hotels will provide Lynnwood a much-needed economic boost.
And, they say, planned improvements to nearby streets and the Interurban Trail will eventually improve intercity connections.
In a unanimous vote, the council agreed to vacate 26th Avenue W. for Legacy. It’s a 40-foot street that dead-ends at a sewer lift station next to the hotel property. The street once provided access to two houses, which are now vacant and will be demolished, said Arnold Kay, the city’s development services supervisor.
Taking ownership of the street gives Legacy the land it needs to complete its plan, said the company’s Faizel Kassam. “It’s a win-win situation for the city and for us,” he said.
As part of its deal, Legacy agreed to make improvements to the Interurban Trail just east of the site. The agreement also opens the door to future connection of Beech Road to both Ash Way and Alderwood Mall Parkway. City officials have long sought Beech as an alternative route near the mall. Beech now connects Alderwood Mall Parkway to Target.
David Kleitsch, the city’s economic development director, said adding two hotels near the mall will help the city’s tourism business, bring much needed income to city coffers and provide 75 to 100 new jobs. “We think there’s a segment of the Lynnwood population that fits well with these jobs,” he said.
Last fall, a hearing examiner rejected an appeal of the Legacy proposal. Owners of the Residence Inn, 18200 Alderwood Mall Parkway and Hampton Inn, 19324 Alderwood Mall Parkway, argued that the city hadn’t adequately addressed environmental impacts and cited concerns with the project’s design.
Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com.
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