Oct. 22–Final site plan approval was granted this week for the $25.5 million Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center to be located near Interstate 35 within the northeast corner of Sooner Road and Covell. The Edmond Planning Commission favored the request made by Covell Partners, LLC with a 3-0 vote.

The planned unit development covers an entire quarter-section of land, said Bob Schiermeyer, city planner. The site plan provides for a southwest to northeast orientation of the hotel/conference center, he said.

“Access to the building will be from Covell and Sooner Road with a loop drive around the east side of the building,” Schiermeyer said. “There is a second drive on Covell.”

The 130,033-square-foot hotel is in full compliance with the city’s 15 percent requirement for landscaping and plant count for the Interstate 35 corridor, according to Ryan Ochsner, the city’s urban forestry coordinator.

Two ground signs are 8 feet tall, making them shorter than what is allowed in the I-35 corridor, Schiermeyer said. “These signs will have a brick base to match the six-story brick building. The 158-room facility will be 80 feet tall.

“There is no height limit,” Schiermeyer said of the location.

The parking will meet the requirements for 160 hotel rooms and conference center, Schiermeyer said. There will be 546 parking spaces on the site and 28 bicycle parking spaces.

Covell Partners Project Manager Clay Coldiron said the hotel’s swimming pool and spa will be inside the building.

No further consideration of the item will be necessary by the City Council.

A sign will be placed on the property sometime soon to alert passersby that the Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center will be coming soon, Edmond Economic Development Authority Executive Director Janet Yowell said at this week’s EEDA board meeting.

“We’re working with the Covell at I-35 group to get some visibility and (public relations) going on that,” Yowell said. “You’ll see some planting and a groundbreaking out there and we’re very excited about that …They’ll be able to pull a building permit at any time.”

Everything is on track with financing with confirmation given last week, she said.

“All the paper work is in the process of being done,” Yowell said. “As far as we know it’s moving along to completion.”

jcoburn@edmondsun.com — 341-2121, ext. 114