Tallest hotel yet for upper Monterey St. begins to rise in SLO
Construction is underway on the 102-room Monterey Hotel near Monterey Street and Grand Avenue in San Luis Obispo.
It’s unclear when it’s expected to be finished; developer Andrew Firestone couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.
The four-story project was approved by the San Luis Obispo City Council in 2015.
Firestone and partnering developer Jess Parker bought two adjacent lots, 1845 and 1865 Monterey St., in October 2013 for $2.5 million.
Before the previous City Council approved the project on a 3-2 vote, nearby residents expressed concerns about its size, anticipated noise and potential impacts on San Luis Creek.
Firestone previously told The Tribune that he was aware of the residents’ concerns and sought to accommodate them.
“The city was very specific in designating this small strip of Monterey Street for development,” Firestone said then. “I want to maximize the potential of the property, but I am also aware of their concerns. It is a delicate balance. It is not realistic that we can build a hotel like the others in that area because they were built so long ago.”
The upper Monterey area is a tourist-commercial corridor, zoned to allow hotels. The new hotel’s location, close to Cal Poly, is centered among other motels and hotels ranging from one to three stories in height. It is two properties away from the Monday Club.
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This story was originally published November 21, 2017 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Tallest hotel yet for upper Monterey St. begins to rise in SLO."