Page 62 - Flathead Living // Spring 2015

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ABOVE A rendering of a proposed boutique hotel in downtown Whitefish.
Sean Averill’s big year kicks off with a busy spring, as he begins moving dirt on two major development proj- ects in Whitefish: a 62-lot subdivision and an 89-room downtown hotel. His third pro- posal, an apartment complex, may be wait- ing in the wings.
Averill, whose family owns and operates The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, has long been involved in the real estate industry, though the 38-year-old’s development experience has mostly been limited to his role with The Lodge and its accompanying Viking Creek project, a multi-phase development across Wisconsin Avenue consisting of another lodge, luxury cabins and a 30-acre nature reserve protected through a conservation easement. The Averills also own Trails West Real Estate.
But an active year of planning in 2014 has set the stage for a breakthrough devel- opment year for Averill in 2015. He plans to break ground in May on a long-awaited downtown hotel, which will be located on the empty piece of property known as Lot 46 at the corner of Spokane Avenue and Second
Street. Averill is the hotel’s owner.
Crews are also set this spring to begin implementing infrastructure on Averill’s subdivision, situated off Wild Rose Lane and East Second Street across from Second Street’s intersection with Armory Road. Averill owns the land, which is mostly open
field.
Averill is trying to get an apartment proj-
ect approved as well, though it has faced heavy scrutiny from residents skeptical of high-density housing complexes. Averill says his projects seek to address two of Whitefish’s top priorities: affordable hous- ing and a hotel in the city core.
“People have been talking about a down- town hotel for a long time,” Averill says. “And there’s a huge need for affordable hous- ing here. It’s the city’s biggest priority.”
The city has long been interested in a downtown boutique hotel and identified its importance in a 2006 downtown mas- ter plan. The Averill family had previously looked into building a hotel at two differ- ent spots along Central Avenue, on the cor- ners of First and Third Streets. But those
60 FLATHEAD LIVING | SPRING 2015
COURTESY OF MONTANA CREATIVE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN