Montgomery hotel to become garden-style apartments

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - An extended stay hotel in east Montgomery will be converted to garden-style apartments.

Sonesta ES Suites, located at 1200 Hilmar Court near Carmichael Road, was built as a Residence Inn by Marriott in the 1990s. The Montgomery Planning Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a request to rezone the lot from commercial to multi-family residential.

Asaf Fligelman, of Long Island, New York, was part of a group that purchased the property earlier this year. He said the hotel rooms vary from 450-650 square feet and already include full kitchens. The property also features a pool and a fitness facility.

Fligelman said the hotel is experiencing an economic decline due to an influx of extended stay offerings on Carmichael Road and at nearby exits.

“It’s been much, much, difficult and a lot more competitive to bring guests in,” said Fligelman. “And as that competition drives down rates, you end up with an adverse selection of guests that want to stay.”

He said they’ve seen spikes of crime in the area, adding that a firearm was discharged at the property, which resulted in a broken window.

“These kind of incidents are very, very difficult to manage,” Fligelman said.

Fligelman went on to say the Carmichael Road area has seen greater demand for rental units and this would be a “unique opportunity” to meet the growing call.

The property owner said the apartments would be priced competitively while offering amenities that most of the nearby apartment complexes do not have. Fligelman added that tenants would sign a 12-month lease.

The organization in which Fligelman is a part of operates apartment complexes around the country, with many in the New York area. He did not say when the Montgomery property will end hotel operations and begin transitioning to apartment homes.

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