http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?se...cal&id=6335338
Quote:
Long-vacant hotel will once again serve as race focal point
By Joel Feick
FLINT (WJRT) -- (08/18/08)--As downtown Flint gears up for the Crim Festival of Races this week, a vacant hotel will be reopened for the event.
The Character Inn will once again serve as the focal point of the race: the home of the Crim Fitness Expo.
According to a spokesman for Uptown Development, the Crim Foundation has a purchase agreement on the former Character Inn.
There is a plan to renovate the property, but the plan is far from a done deal.
A Crim Fitness Foundation official says says the Crim folks have about nine months to determine what it will cost to renovate the building and to identify funding sources.
The plan calls for a mixed-use facility that could include student housing for the University of Michigan-Flint, what's called a "boutique hotel," space needed for the Crim Fitness Foundation and perhaps a medical school.
But before any of that can take place, partners in the project are assembling the financing to determine if the project will fly.
"We've had consultants in," said the Crim Fitness Foundation's Phil Shaltz. "We're meeting on a weekly basis to try to find out the viability of student housing, a boutique hotel, the Crim Fitness Foundation and various other things.
"As soon as we can wrap those up and come to some conclusion, then we cement the deal and turn the inn into something that's positive for downtown."
The hotel is still owned by the Institute for Basic Life Principals. It's making sure the Character Inn will have rooms for sale on Thursday and Friday at $189 for a double and $199 for a king-sized bed.
More than 100 rooms have been reserved so far. The hotel will also serve as the site of packet pickup and the Crim Expo.
"We've kept the building, even though it's been empty and vacant," said the Institute for Basic Life Services' James Marsh.
"We've kept the rooms themselves guest-ready, but it's been two and a half years that it's been virtually vacant."
Marsh says although the pool is closed and the phones only work room to room, the elevators work and there will be air conditioning this weekend.
He says the hotel will be ready for the thousands who will stop by from the Crim.
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First I've heard of a possible medical school. Given the demand for on-campus housing at UM-Flint (evidenced by the new dorm being filled), I see there being a large market for student oriented, "off-campus" , apartments in downtown - a role that the hotel could easily fill.
Heck, if it doesn't work out with the Crim Foundation, UM-Flint should just buy it and turn it into another dorm.