City officials in Myrtle Beach are being requested to authorize blueprints for a $120 million tall Hilton Garden Inn hotel that would have views of the Atlantic Ocean and lead to substantial upgrades in public walkways.
On Tuesday, the city council examined the specifics of a plan for a 243-foot tall Hilton hotel that would be located on 23rd Avenue N. This review took place during a workshop before the proposal was officially included on the agenda for potential action.
City planner Kelly Mezzapelle informed the council that the planning commission has been collaborating with the applicant for more than a year on this project, and significant progress has been made.
According to the agreement, 1.5% of the expenses for construction would be set aside for public enhancements.
Mezzapelle stated that once approved, the applicant will collaborate with staff and the city council to fine-tune the specifics of all the public improvements.
The developers plan to build a 255-room hotel under the brand names “Hilton Garden Inn” and “Home2Suites,” along with a 60-foot tall parking garage that can accommodate up to 290 vehicles.
There is a chance of decreased earnings, as rezoning to make room for the hotel would eliminate 20 parking spaces that brought in over $30,000 for the city last year.
It is unclear if those areas will be included in the hotel’s design or transformed into a small park or another type of open green area.
The presentation on Tuesday also discussed proposals for two restaurants: one located by the pool and the other on the third floor of the tower.
The developers stated that visitors have the option to eat in either the well-lit and spacious two-story dining area indoors or on the terrace overlooking the ocean, both of which provide stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean.
If the council approves, developers must obtain a building permit within three years and finish construction within an additional three years.
Mayor Brenda Bethune expressed her satisfaction with the fact that the architects of the project were considering economic development prospects for areas of the property that do not face the beach.
“Personally, I love it when developers look at bringing investment to the second and third rows,” she said. “That adds a lot of value to those areas and increases the value to neighboring properties,” Bethune added.