[Source: Florence Reminder] -- The town this summer will once more look for a contractor to complete rehabilitation on the historic Silver King Hotel, in hopes the slower economy will generate more affordable bids. Also holding down costs will be the town's intention to leave the interior mostly unfinished, so a tenant may tailor it to his needs. An architect is at work on the revised plans, town officials said. When the town first sought proposals for completing the hotel's restoration a couple of years ago, the bids came in at more than $1 million, which was double the available funding.
During a walking tour of the downtown historic district last Thursday, Town Manager Himanshu Patel told the gathering of about 40 people the finished project will be a "shell-type building" which can then be leased for retail or offices. The town's ultimate goal remains "a viable reuse of the building and a vibrant downtown," Patel said. Last year, the town had some discussions with three partners who were interested in completing the old hotel at Main and Ruggles for an Irish-themed restaurant and sports bar. But town officials "don't foresee them coming to the table anytime soon" and believe "we need to pick up the pace," Assistant to the Town Manager Jess Knudson said this week. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
