Palms Motel Could Become Apartments

Don’t worry: The sign stays.

IMG_2361 The Palms Motor Hotel on North Interstate Avenue. (Joe Wolf / Flickr)
By Sophie Peel

The Palms Motel on North Interstate Avenue, famed for its towering neon sign featuring palm trees, could soon get new tenants staying for longer than a night.

The property is likely to be redeveloped into an apartment complex with 223 housing units, including retail and parking space. The seven-story development was first reported by independent real estate reporter Iain MacKenzie, and the property is owned by Green Lotus Investments.

The development plan is currently under review by the city.

Dirgesh Patel, manager of Green Lotus, tells WW he intends to keep the sign. “I would never take that sign down. I wouldn’t think of it,” he says.

The property has been owned by Patel’s family, albeit under a different company until recently, for 30 years. Patel says as of now, the development, if approved, will offer market-rate housing.

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