The hotel/conference center site is shown in the foreground, with the Student Rec
Center and other campus buildings behind.
Center and other campus buildings behind.
From a recent Pullman Planning Department newsletter
WSU is working with a private developer to bring a hotel and conference center to the Pullman campus. The hotel would be an Embassy Suites, a luxury brand of the Hilton hotel chain.
The specific site, 7.5 acres in size, is located on the north side of North Fairway Drive, just east of the Student Recreation Center.
Last month, the university applied to the city for a zoning map change at the property from the WSU category to the C3 General Commercial classification to facilitate this project. In the rezone application, WSU indicated that it wished to sell this parcel for construction of the commercial development.
If the university transfers property to a private party, the zoning of the land must be changed from WSU to some other designation because the only activities allowed in the WSU zone are university related facilities and services.
The planning commission held its public hearing on the zone change request in early October. At this session, two members of the WSU Capital Planning and Development staff testified in support of the application and one resident from Juniper Way, speaking as a neutral party, asked questions about how traffic from commercial development at the site would be accommodated.
After accepting these comments, the commission voted to recommend approval of the request. The City Council held its meeting to consider this matter on Oct. 12 and unanimously approved the application.
According to WSU, the hotel and conference center development will be constructed in two phases. In the first phase, the Embassy Suites Hotel will be built with 120-150 sleeping rooms, and the adjoining conference center will encompass 8,000-12,000 square feet.
In the second phase, the number of hotel rooms will expand to 200, and the conference center will grow to as much as 20,000 square feet.
The first phase is scheduled to begin in April and be completed by August 2012. The university estimates the second phase will be finished by 2020.
WSU will maintain design oversight for the project. The university also will have the right of first refusal in the event that the private property owner decides to sell the property in the future.
Since the property is now zoned C3, the city will take responsibility for permit review of any proposed development projects there. Also, the city will receive its customary share of tax revenue generated by this property once it is sold to a private party.