Council advances Claridge Hotel redevelopment plan on first reading; includes rehab and new residential construction

The City Council moved forward on first reading with a redevelopment plan for the Claridge Hotel site, approving an ordinance that authorizes substantial rehabilitation of the existing Claridge Hotel and new residential construction on an adjacent surface parking lot.

The plan (ordinance 6f) covers Blocks 44 and 46 and would be carried out in phases; council members were told the project will preserve hotel units in the Claridge while adding residential apartments in both the rehabilitated building and the new construction, including a percentage of affordable units.

The proposal matters because it would return a landmark hotel to active use while adding housing and redeveloping a surface parking area in a portion of the boardwalk corridor, affecting neighborhood density, parking needs and long‑term tax base.

Planning staff described the proposal as “a substantial rehabilitation of the existing Claridge Hotel, and new construction, which is immediately to the north of the existing Claridge Hotel,” and said the new building would be located on the current surface parking lot bounded by Pacific and Indiana and would include parking for the new units. Council members asked whether the new structure would contain long‑term residential units and whether parking needs would be met; staff replied that parking would be provided and that both the rehabilitation and the new building would include residential units, with affordable units included in the mix.

Council members expressed procedural and design questions but not formal opposition; the ordinance was advanced on first reading with eight members recorded in favor. The plan will follow the standard redevelopment schedule and will return for subsequent hearings where final zoning, parking, and affordable‑housing details will be confirmed.

Clarifying details noted in the meeting: the project will be built in phases; the Claridge rehabilitation retains hotel units while creating additional apartments; the new construction occupies the surface parking lot north of the hotel and will provide parking; a portion of the new units will be designated affordable, though the meeting packet did not specify exact counts or income bands.

Action recorded: motion and second were made and ordinance 6f advanced on first reading with 8 affirmative votes. The administration and planning staff were asked to provide more detailed plans for parking and affordability levels as the project proceeds through the redevelopment review process.