Metropolis says no to lodge on Dogwood parking zone, considers park as an alternative

Hendersonville City Council agreed on Thursday evening to end negotiations on building a hotel in the downtown dogwood parking lot.

City administrator John Connet said staff think this is the best move as two new hotels have already been approved for construction in the city center.

Instead, a park will likely be built there, he said. Councilors loved the idea that Councilor Jeff Miller floated a “Mini Central Park” to them on the property last week.

The dogwood parking lot proposed on Church Street and Fourth Avenue was a multi-story hotel. In March 2020, councilors voted 3-2 to sell the dogwood lot for $ 1,098,000 for its development.

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Developer Blue Star Hospitality worked with the city to purchase the property to build the hotel. The $ 18 million project envisaged a 100-room hotel, 64 on-site parking spaces, and a meeting room for 200 to 250 people.

The Courthouse Inn, a five-story boutique hotel with a restaurant and meeting rooms, was approved by the city council in December and is being built on vacant lots at 101 N. Church St. behind the historic courthouse.

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Cedars Lodge and Spa at 211 Seventh Ave. W. is to comprise two buildings with at least six floors, in which 132 hotel suites / condominiums are housed, as well as an underground car park for owners of condominiums.

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