New details about the proposed five-story hotel in Manistee County

MANISTEE COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- On Thursday night, the Manistee Planning Commission spent more than four hours talking about a new Hampton Inn Hotel across from First Street Beach.

Now, residents are sharing what they like and don’t like about this proposed project.

“Our biggest concern for this is the height of the project,” one resident said during public comment. “We are in full support of a hotel there and renovating a hotel, we just feel that five stories is too high.”

“65,000 people coming through this hotel every year,” another resident said. “Can you imagine the amount of garbage that is going to be on our beaches that is going to have to be picked up?”

“This is going to be sensational,” another resident said.

The proposed Hampton Inn hotel would replace the current Lake Shore Motel at 101 S. Lakeshore Drive.

The motel owners said this is their ticket to retirement.

“We have dedicated our lives to this business and property, and we feel it is time for us to be able to move on to the next part of our lives,” the owner said during public comment. “A project like this could increase tourism to the area along with spending in the area.”

Hoping to redevelop the property is west Michigan resident Peter Beukema.

He's the CEO of Suburban Inns, which has several nationally known hotels across the state.

“This is a gem of a piece of property and I am honored to be sitting in front of you tonight to be considered,” Beukema said at the meeting.

The project is a five-story hotel with 108 rooms.

It would include a restaurant and bar, indoor pool, indoor/outdoor hot tub, and an outdoor patio with fire pits.

After discussing the plans, commissioners believe there needs to be more that gives back to the community.

Many suggested a rooftop bar.

“You’re giving the community an opportunity to see the lake in its awesome ways from a view that doesn’t exist really anywhere else in our area,” Planning Commissioner Mick Syzmanski said. “And not only that but from a rooftop perspective you are going to be able to see all the way down the river, so when the ships come in you’re going to be able to watch them come in from the harbor and go almost all the way to the marina.”

Some of the main concerns were the size of the building at 64-feet tall, the size of the sign at 10 feet tall and the look of the building.

One thing most people did agree on was the positive economic impact a new hotel could bring to the area.

The development team said the project would bring hundreds of jobs to the area during construction and then add about 35 permanent jobs at the hotel.

Other highlights pointed out by developers were the lighting of the hotel would be dimmed to 50% around sunset, and décor of the building would reflect a lakeshore feel.

They also agreed to upgrade the drainage system, although Manistee officials say the current sewer system was recently upgraded and is fully capable of handling the extra flow from the hotel.

The Planning Commission decided to table the project Thursday night and hope to hold a special meeting as soon as possible.