A rendering of what a bachelor apartment suite as part of renovations at the Baymont Inn and Suites hotel in downtown Red Deer (Photo: Berry Architecture/MPC agenda package)

By Troy Gillard

Former ‘Red Deer Lodge’ getting a makeover

Part of downtown hotel to be turned into apartments

Jun 30, 2020 | 4:30 PM

A portion of an existing hotel in downtown Red Deer will be converted into apartment units after the city’s municipal planning commission gave the go ahead for the project on Tuesday.

Shaz Bharwani, co-owner of Red Deer’s Baymont by Wyndham Hotel, was granted approval for his application to turn 109 of the hotel’s visitor suites into to self-contained residential dwellings for long-term rental.

Another 125 guest suites at the hotel will remain available for short-term visitors.

“The tower portion of the Baymont Inn and Suites will be separated and thus will operate as a separate entity to provide a new type of all-inclusive living in the downtown core,” Bharwani explained in his application. “With this development, our mission is to bring forth something innovative and unique to the Red Deer housing market.”

Bharwani suggested in his application that the project meets the goals of new downtown initiatives by introducing new units in a creative, relatively quick and efficient way that will meet the increasing demands for smaller units. He says the project will also help in “eliminating underutilized hotel rooms in an oversupplied market.”

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“As we already know, the long term neglect of investment in the downtown area has resulted in an extremely volatile and unwelcoming atmosphere for not only investors but also residents and thus the requirement for new incentives to make it more appealing,” Bharwani submitted. “The project will attract a variety of individuals to the downtown area that will inherently revive the local businesses.”

The property is zoned C1 Commercial (City Centre) District, which is intended to “act as the main office area for the city and provide a wide range of commercial, institutional, cultural and residential Development.” Dwelling Units above the ground floor are a Permitted Use in the District.

Bharwani expects studio apartments to rent for $800-850/month and one-bedroom units for between $1000-1050, including all utilities, amenities, cable, internet and parking. Renters will have free access to exclusive fitness and laundry facilities, along with a game and party rooms. Some of the units will come with furnishings with some additional costs. Bharwani says each unit will include a high definition tv. Units will be open for rent as work on each floor is completed.

The hotel pool will remain designated for hotel visitors for the time being.

Inquiries can be sent to shaz@baymont.ca