Water Street Inn gets OK for expansion

Rendering of the three-story addition at the Water Street Inn in downtown Stillwater. (Courtesy of the Water Street Inn)

The Water Street Inn in downtown Stillwater can proceed with plans to narrow a portion of Myrtle Street in order to make room for an expansion.

Under the plan approved by the Stillwater City Council Tuesday night, the southern edge of Myrtle just east of Water Street will be moved 3 feet north to accommodate the addition's tower element -- a nod to the clock tower of the Union Depot that formerly stood on the site.

The owner of the inn, Chuck Dougherty, is planning a 21,000-square-foot addition that would add about 20 rooms to the 41-room hotel. It includes a rooftop patio and a new primary entrance and lobby.

The council, however, put four special conditions on Dougherty's permit.

The conditions are designed to ensure that Dougherty "will build what he says he is going to and in a timely fashion," said Community Development Director Bill Turnblad. "There have been issues with performance on previously approved projects."

Among the issues: exterior building design and features were not completed as per a permit, and trash that was supposed to be kept enclosed in the building was not, Turnblad said.

Mary Divine can be reached at 651-228-5443. Follow her at twitter.com/MaryEDivine.

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Water Street Inn gets OK for expansion