The vacant lot at 6563 Trigo Rd. will soon offer visitors to Isla Vista and students seeking short-term lodging a place to stay.

Terry Bailey, manager of St. George and Associates – the organization managing the property – said the lot will hold a three-story building, with commercial space on the first floor and a hotel on the top two stories. She said the project is scheduled to be completed this September.

“It’s not going to be a Motel 6 situation,” Bailey said. “It’s going to be an extended-stay hotel with commercial space downstairs. We’d really love to get maybe a Krispy Kreme or something like that. It’s going to be incredibly nice.”

Bailey said the hotel will offer over 10 rooms to visiting students and professors.

“Our target will ideally be students that come back from a semester at sea and need a place for six weeks or a quarter, or a visiting professor,” Bailey said. “Prices have not been set yet.”

A large three-story wall is the only part of the building that has been erected so far. Even in the early stages of its construction, the hotel is already having an impact on its neighbors.

Dan Ogden’s bedroom window at 6565 Trigo now directly faces the concrete wall.

“I love our new view,” Ogden said. “I’m pretty sure I know why my rent didn’t go up. I wish they had built a parking structure, though. They keep bringing more and more people in and building more dorms, but where are they going to park?”

Roeun Cham, who owns the Ultimate Aquarium store immediately adjacent to the lot, said he was uncertain how the new building would affect his business.

“I don’t like it, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” Cham said. “They’re supposed to post a plan and all the neighbors are supposed to hold a review, but I never saw anything. It might affect my business, but good or bad, I don’t know.”

Cham’s neighbor Karl Marc owns Kustom Ink Tattoo, whose sign has been blocked by the growing building from one direction. Marc said he was not pleased about the hotel’s construction but did not blame the lot’s owners for their decision to develop the property.

“It sucks,” Marc said. “I’m a little sad that they blocked off my sign, but that’s their right. As a businessman I totally understand the need to grow and build, but as a resident of I.V. I’m saddened that such a large building is getting put up when we’re already so packed. I’d rather have a beautiful park.”

Bailey said plans for the building have been in the works for some time. She said St. George and Associates has built and remodeled housing all over I.V., but this is the company’s first venture into hotel construction.

Print