BOWDEN - The hotel at Highway 2A and 20th Avenue in Bowden could be redeveloped.
Okotoks developer Kyle McCowan is looking at that possibility.
However, he says there are several liens on the property. So he and council have agreed to find out the exact status of the property -- legal and otherwise -- so he can decide if he's still interested.
McCowan is not yet entirely sure what he'd do with the property if all the legal issues, etc., are cleared, but he's leaning toward gutting the building and creating several small one-bedroom affordable apartments.
"It's a little bit of a legal quagmire right now," he said during an interview with the Albertan.
"I'm just putting one foot forward and seeing if it bears fruit or not.
"Understandably, if it's going to be a large and we'll say tedious and painful road, then we probably would say, 'no thank you.' But if it turns out to be an easy ride down a nice smooth river, then you'd probably say, 'yes, I'm OK with that.'
"The status quo isn't working for anybody. Nobody wants it to be a calling card, you know, a greeting card to the town the way it is anymore. It's the wrong kind of greeting card when you show up to the town," he added.
"So everybody in town would like to have something done and I guess I have one option -- one possibility of what can be done with it and I guess I'm just putting that forward and offering that."
Currently McCowan is completing a renovation of the Pelican Motel in Bowden. That project, which has been underway for more than a year, also involves creating suites.
Councillors expressed their support for the Bowden Hotel project, noting they're pleased with what he's done with the Pelican Motel.
McCowan told councillors zoning and parking could be concerns.
"Zoning at this table would not be an issue. We could rezone that for future development. I think we're more than willing to partner with you to make those things happen. We've rezoned in areas in this town at this meeting several times before," Coun. Wayne Milaney said.
"As far as parking goes, I think we're in control of that too. We can make some decisions.
"You've got a proven track record of what you did up by the highway, so you have some credibility with this table and I think we're more than willing to help you go forward," he added.
Coun. Carol Pion, a local businessperson, expressed hope McCowan would develop retail outlets in the lower floor of the building.
"We need draw to come in to the town. So if there were any kind of specialty stores or things like that, that would draw them in," she said. "Having a location right on (Highway) 2A you've got prime retail space."
Coun. Kerry Kelm agreed, saying some people don't have vehicles, so if retail outlets were located in the building, some tenants there would be a "captive audience" for those businesses.
MCowan said he's not necessarily opposed to combining retail and housing there, but said it's easier to obtain financing for the project if it has a "single use."
