—Promote a more creative/efficient approach to land use, while promoting health, safety, comfort, aesthetics, economic viability & general welfare of our city.

—Improve this site’s design and operation, while incorporating design elements that exceed city standards.

—Have appropriate mass and scale relative to its uses, and surrounding properties.

—Interconnect usable interior and exterior open space.

—Preserve and enhance natural features; such as public views and open space.

—Additional aesthetic features and harmonious design.

—Public seating area.

—Include an energy efficient site design and building materials.

—Use low-impact development techniques.

—Share a community area that feels “porch like” with a great view; where the public and hotel guests can enjoy it outside or from looking at it from indoors.

—Respect the historic scale of the downtown area.

—Maximize lake view opportunities from as many places within the hotel as possible.

—Bridge to the Commons; ensure design/people-flow compliments the Commons.

—Be inviting/welcoming to the public.

—Offer retail spaces with great exposure.

—Blend rooms, event spaces, a restaurant, a bar and sitting areas in ways that work best operationally and financially.

—Celebrate our timber and plains heritage.

—Make parking discrete.

—Ensure there is a wonderful first experience when guests arrive.

—Remain a place to enjoy public events on Water Street.

Our managing partner's wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer in August 2022. As a result, he dropped everything, including this project, to be with her through her death in November 2023.

As this was happening, the opportunity to purchase the land on which this project would have taken place was instead given to another buyer.

Meanwhile, we did some awesome work here and still believe, as do most in Excelsior, that this would be a heck of a boost to our economy while updating history respectfully!

See "Details" for more.