New Hotel Coming to Prominent Highway 1 Site Long Dominated by Blighted Buildings
On Wednesday, January 12, the Marina City Council will vote on a Hotel Development Agreement with Dadwal Management Group to build hotels at Opportunity Site 1a in the Dunes Development, at the intersection of Imjin Boulevard and Highway 1, across from the The Dunes on Monterey Bay shopping center. This site was long occupied by blighted Fort Ord barracks, which were demolished in the spring of 2020 by Shea Homes/Marina Community Partners, LLC. In August, the Marina City Council received presentations from four developers interested in building hotels at this location. The first phase of the project will be a dual hotel comprised of a 90 room Element hotel and a 110 room AC Hotel as well as additional amenities and parking. Phase Two will consist of an additional 100 room hotel.
MPUSD Board to Discuss Lawsuit Threat in Response to Planned Closure of Three Schools
At their January 11 meeting, the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District board will discuss (in closed session) a lawsuit threat on behalf of “local residents" against the district unless it prepares an expensive environmental impact report concerning the planned closure of three schools (Highland Elementary School, Foothill Elementary School, and Walter Colton Middle School). The objective of this lawsuit is not stated. In addition, the district was recently sued by local residents based on the argument that the district's $250,000 environmental impact report for installing lights at the Monterey High School football field was inadequate. Since 1990 the district has experienced declining enrollment that has recently accelerated as middle class families find living in this region to be increasingly unaffordable.
The Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce seeks to actively engage in regional solutions which aid our community is creating affordable and workforce housing as a stated goal for 2022. We welcome your input.
