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BY JEANETTE EBERLIN-RIZZELLO

A new 124 room extended stay hotel is coming to Hazelwood but approval of the project involved close scrutiny and numerous stipulations and regulations. The developer agrees to the requirements and calls Hazelwood “one of the better sites” in the entire St. Louis area.

Mayor T. R. Carr said the hotel is intended to provide necessary long-term lodging for the industrial area of Hazelwood and the surrounding area. “The requirements agreed to by the hotel owners will ensure that our city has a high quality facility that caters to the businesses located in Hazelwood and is an asset to the city,” Carr said.

Matt Wells and Will Chaffe, representatives of Value Place, extended stay hotel chain of Whichita Kansas, have appeared at Hazelwood’s City Plan Commission and City Council meetings seeking a special use permit to build the hotel at 8940 Pershall Rd. at the southwest corner of Pershall and Polson Roads in Ward 2. Final approval of the land use permit was slated for last night’s city council meeting.

Chaffe, speaking for the developer, said “This will be the 100th facility opened by Value Place.” When asked why this location was chosen he replied, “This is a destination oriented facility. The customers find out where they are and come to them. Contractors from Boeing that come for a short term stay will need a nice place that is safe and easily accessible to stay while they are here.”

He also pointed out, “This is one of the densest employer areas between here and the airport. There are over 200 employers with over 200 employees each. This is one of the better sites (for the hotel) based on the temporary come and go of contractors.”

The City Council studied and evaluated – and adopted several suggestions and recommendations submitted by the Plan Commission, city staff and department heads, police and fire officials and the city attorney.

On April 10 City Manager Ed Carlstrom held a meeting with the city staff and some of the conditions they recommended to the city council include:

Occupancy loads shall be determined by building and fire officials using local, state and national standards room shall not used for permanent occupancy; for example, registering children for school or using the address to sign up for government programs; the hotel is required to have 24 hour a day on premise supervision; records of guests and stays shall be provided to city officials on request.

Management of the facility shall coordinate with the Hazelwood Police Department to adopt and from time to time update and review procedures by which each party may contact the other in the event of a situation threatening public health or safety.

After the meeting Carlstrom said, “We want to insure protection for Hazelwood residents; that is to make sure we have a good operation here.

In the past in other extended stay establishments we had received complaints that patrons were actually using the rooms as permanent residences, some even sent their children to school. We want to ensure that doesn’t happen again. These newly adopted rules will set up a model for all new incoming facilities.”

After the city council meeting Ward 2 Councilman Bob Aubuchon said, “I think that the Value Place Hotel will be an asset to the community. The redevelopment of the Ford Motor Site as well as many of the other developments in the City of Hazelwood will be able to utilize the reasonable weekly rates they offer. They seem like a well established and highly motivated company and I wish them well.”
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