Beaverton OKs plan for Hyatt House

Five-story, 121-room hotel will be close to the proposed Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, The Rise Central apartment complex and a seven-story parking garage.

Beaverton has approved plans for a five-story, 121-room Hyatt House that will join The Rise Central apartment complex, the proposed Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, and a seven-story parking garage.

When all of these projects are completed, they will transform the look of Beaverton Central, which already has The Round mixed-use building, the Beaverton Building/City Hall, and another seven-story parking garage.

"I think it is going to be a lovely addition to our new thriving downtown core," Chairwoman Kim Overhage said just before the Beaverton Planning Commission approved the hotel plan on a 6-0 vote Sept. 26.

Once the city issues a notice of decision, it triggers a 10-day period when the decision can be appealed — but an appeal can be filed only by someone who has offered written or oral testimony. The commission heard no public comments, other than from the applicant, during the Sept. 26 hearing.

Ashish Patel, who is involved in the Canterbury Hotel Group, said ground could be broken late this year or early next year after city officials approve a site development plan.

The city owns the parcel in question but will transfer control to the hotel group.

The hotel will be at the southwest corner of Southwest Rose Biggi Avenue and Crescent Street, just north of TriMet's MAX Beaverton Central light-rail station. A 2,600-square-foot restaurant, which will be operated independently of the hotel, will have an entryway at the corner. The hotel's main entry will be on Crescent Street.

It will join other projects planned for the area:

• The Rise Central, a 230-unit apartment complex scheduled for completion in 2019.

• A Center for the Arts, which will take its name from major donor Patricia Reser, and for which fundraising is proceeding. Construction is expected to start in 2019 and be completed in 2021.

• A seven-story, 350-space parking garage, which will be shared by all three projects, and which also will house rehearsal and retail space. Construction is expected to be completed in 2020, a few months ahead of the arts center.

The Canterbury Hotel Group operates several Portland area hotels, although the Hyatt House project is its first in Beaverton.

Several are at or near Portland International Airport: Clarion Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Portland East, Holiday Inn Express, Quality Inn and Suites Airport Convention Center, Rodeway Inn, and SpringHill Suites by Marriott.

The others are Best Western Mount Hood Inn at Government Camp, Econo Lodge Convention Center, and Motel 6 in downtown Portland.

A 2014 study commissioned by the city listed a total of 10 hotels with a total of 1,051 rooms. That total will grow later this year, when Marriott plans to open the 112-room TownePlace Suites extended-stay hotel just off Highway 217 and Canyon Road.

Planning Commission discussion focused on the interface between the hotel and TriMet's MAX line to the south, where the light-rail line stops at the Beaverton Central station, and parking.

"I am grateful you took the time to consult with organizations" such as TriMet and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, said planning commissioner Gerry Uba. "That will help make this a much better project."

Planning Commissioner Jennifer Nye called for more landscaping, and more windows on a five-story stairwell structure that will provide an emergency exit from the hotel.

The plan is for just 33 parking spaces at the hotel itself, counting three for loading and two for people with disabilities — far short of the 151 maximum allowed. Of the remaining 28 spaces, 14 will be for compact cars.

Given the Canterbury Hotel Group's experience with its other Portland hotels, "we think there will be a lot fewer cars on site," said Steve Rigor, who spoke for Arris Studio Architects.

Planning Commissioner Adam Matar said there will have to be careful coordination with other parking, including the proposed seven-story garage across Rose Biggi Avenue planned by the Beaverton Urban Redevelopment Agency and the existing seven-story garage on the south side of the MAX line.

"I cannot think off the top of my head that we've had a project that really pushed the boundaries so much," Matar said. "There will be parking, but this is one of the more urban projects we are going to have in this area."

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