Business

Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008

Biz Buzz: $15 million Grover hotel project moves ahead

Environmental issues such as habitat restoration and drainage and erosion control are part of approval condition for the mixed-use project

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The California Coastal Commission has approved a permit on the $15 million Pacific Coast Highway Hotel, a hotel/condominium, retail, office and restaurant project in Grover Beach.

Developer Ron Perkins of IGIT Inc. said the commission approved the project unanimously Aug. 7.

The project at Highway 1 and West Grand Avenue, was approved with conditions that include habitat restoration, a Meadow Creek setback area, and drainage and erosion control, said Grover Beach City Manager Bob Perrault.

Perkins said the project is expected to begin construction by spring 2009.

The 30,000-square-foot building is the second of Perkins’ three large, mixed-use projects in Grover Beach’s redevelopment zone. The first project was the $7 million Ocean View Terrace Condominiums at 176 S. Fourth St., completed in 2006. The third is a $6 million, 30,000-square-foot commercial and residential building on Fourth Street and Grand Avenue called The Colonnade.

Rooms at the Pacific Coast Highway Hotel are expected to average $135 per night, but the quality of the stay will be considered high end.

“These rooms will be similar in quality to Dolphin Bay Resort (in Shell Beach),” Perkins said.

The rooms are considered condo/hotel units and may be used privately by the owners for a maximum of 84 days per year.

The project is proposed to include 20 suites, seven commercial units and 37 underground parking spaces.

Perkins said his company is trying to resolve a lawsuit filed by the North Grover Beach Neighborhood Alliance alleging violations of environmental and planning laws. “We’re anticipating trying to work it out with them,” Perkins said. “We felt like a lot of their concerns were the same as the Coastal Commission.”

The Alliance did not return calls for comment.

In July, the Coastal Commission said it had withdrawn an appeal on another Grover Beach project, the Hilton Garden Inn. The 134-room hotel is proposed at the Highway 101 off-ramp at Fourth Street and El Camino Real.

The city is also proceeding with the Beachfront Lodge, a 135-to 150-room hotel and conference center proposed at Highway 1 and West Grand Avenue.

—Nick Wilson

•••

Jennifer Thoma of San Luis Obispo recently received IBM’s Global Business Services’ “Service of Excellence Award,” an honor accompanied by a $3,000 prize.

She supports clients in implementing Oracle’s Student Administration system—a software package in use at some college campuses. The award was given to Thoma for her work as lead student records consultant at CSU Monterey Bay and in support at CSU Stanislaus. After spending 25 years at Cal Poly as a student records analyst, Thoma joined IBM in late 2007 as a senior consultant.

Thoma is donating her prize funds to the Ballet Theatre San Luis Obispo.

—Tonya Strickland