The city's Community Development Board gave final approval last month for the extended-stay facility to be built on a 2.22-acre site at 940 Court St. The triangular property, between South Prospect and Ewing avenues, currently houses three buildings owned by Senior Citizens Services Inc.

Barring a few minor conditional items required by the city, the hotel's developer can now start acquiring building permits.

"There are some site plan changes that we've already made and some checklist stuff; none of it is difficult," said Michael English of WilsonMiller Inc the urban planner for the project.

English said the plan is to break ground in the fall, and for construction to be completed in 12 to 15 months.

With 100,000 square feet, the Residence Inn will have 115 suites, all of which will have full kitchens. There will be a full lobby, meeting rooms, a swimming pool and 119 parking spaces. There will be tall trees, and Court Street will be landscaped and designed to the city's new streetscape standards.

"We think Clearwater is underserved for this type of high-quality extended stay," said James Holt, vice president of development and finance for the Clarkson Group, the Jacksonville company building the hotel. "There is a lot of production on the beach, but there is almost 2-million square feet of office space in Downtown Clearwater that doesn't have a hotel to serve it."

The Clarkson Group is a Marriott franchisee that has recently built other lodging facilities in the area, including a Hampton Inn in Tampa's Ybor City. It is currently negotiating another hotel site in Tampa's Channelside area, Holt said.

Neither Holt or Robert Wittenberg, executive director of Senior Citizens Services, would say how much was paid for the land. Holt also would not disclose the cost to build the facility.

According to the Senior Citizens Services' IRS Form 990, which is required for all nonprofit organizations, the property and its buildings were worth a little more than $1-million, though its market rate is likely considerably higher.

"We closed all operations back in October 2004 and have been in the process of selling the property and to reinvent ourselves with an even more meaningful propose," Wittenberg said.

Senior Citizen Services, which has been around for 45 years, provided entertainment and recreational services for the community's elderly population.

Besides providing needed lodging in the area, city officials see the Residence Inn as a way to show its dedication to the redevelopment of its downtown.

"Downtown Clearwater from a market standpoint has great potential as an asset to the city," said Michael Delk, the city's planning director. "It's important to continue to vitalize and create an environment that's inviting to the public and an investment to the private sector."

Currently, there are no comparable lodging options downtown, Delk said, pointing to a couple of small motels along Cleveland street.

"But they are not what we are talking about here," Delk said. "They wouldn't be the kind of motel that would serve much of the tourist market. The one approved is the first of its kind downtown."

The city also has approved several downtown projects, part of a major effort to bring business and people back to that area.

"It makes a lot of sense with the price of property on the beach and the close proximity of our downtown to the beach," said Mayor Frank Hibbard. "It's a natural."

Demorris A. Lee can be reached at 445-4147 or dalee@sptimes.com.