Beaufort parking garage plans have changed. Here's what could be coming instead.

A Beaufort developer's plans for a downtown parking garage could instead become another place for city visitors to stay.

Dick Stewart, of 303 Associates, said a planned garage with almost 500 parking spaces would cost twice as much as developers want. He now plans a hotel over two floors of parking on the block bordered by Charles, Craven and West streets.

The parking structure would have cost about $32,000 per space, Stewart said. That's more than $15 million, in line with city estimates for a public garage.

But it's more than the private developer was willing to shell out.

"We would be funding it on our own, so putting hotel rooms there probably makes it work," Stewart said. "Parking at that space just doesn't work economically — it doesn't for us."

New drawings could be submitted for city review in May. The hotel could break ground next year and require 18 months to build, Stewart said.

The number of hotel rooms hasn't been determined. Two floors of parking could leave about 200 spaces for guests of the hotel and Stewart's nearby Beaufort Inn and event space.

Final design will determine the amount of parking.

The hospitality project would be another in a series planned or already built by Stewart and his development company in the area.

Another downtown hotel and retail space with an estimated 70 rooms planned at Port Republic and Scott Street nearby would be on hold until the hotel and parking development is built. A 12-room cottage was recently completed as part of the Beaufort Inn on Craven Street.

And Stewart plans to renovate a building recently vacated by BB&T bank as a possible sidewalk cafe and upscale dining on Port Republic Street. More event space with meeting rooms could be on the way with the aim of eventually hosting conferences for trade and professional organizations.

"They'd like to come to Beaufort, but they need a total of 200 rooms downtown plus meeting space," Stewart said. "We just don't have it. We'd like to see them come."

The parking garage would have become the first of its kind in the city's historic district. Plans were met with mixed reaction when revealed in 2016, with residents and city officials acknowledging a need for the additional spaces but many objecting to the 32-foot tall building with a 46,000 square-foot footprint.

The new hotel plans coincide with city officials' continued discussion about a direction for downtown. A recent consultant's report recommended the city create a downtown management program to drive private investment, engage business owners, recruit new business and shape a brand for downtown.

"I think we can do better for downtown," said Councilwoman Nan Sutton, who owns the gift shop Lulu Burgess on Bay Street, during a recent City Council workshop. "...There are some important things in (the report) we should not overlook."

In response to the study's recommendations, City Council asked staff members for data on investment and city revenue in the core downtown area in recent years.

About $12.2 million has been invested in private projects downtown the past 10 years and another $11.2 million invested in public projects, according to the city data. During the same period, $16.9 million in revenue has been collected from hospitality and accommodations fees, city officials said.

This story was originally published March 16, 2018 at 3:07 PM with the headline "Beaufort parking garage plans have changed. Here's what could be coming instead.."