A permit has surfaced for grading and site work at the now-vacant 500 South Center lot, where the Motel 500 once stood, on the corner of Stewart and Center Street.
The permit provides a clue as to the size of the project planned for this lot. It reads:
03/31/2022
22TMP-010736
Commercial Grading & Site Improvements
500 S CENTER ST NA RENO NV 89501
RENO
Civil improvements in support of a 156 unit apartment project. Work to include demolition of existing public improvements surrounding the site, surface improvements, utilities, and associated landscape improvements.
A 156-unit project on this lot, when you include parking either in surface or parking garage form, will most likely be at least six stories tall, if not seven or eight stories tall.
The Motel 500 and vacant lot south of it sold recently for over $6 million. It will be interesting to watch what becomes of this project.
A possible hiccup for the project could be a fault line that runs straight through the property, which requires 50' clearance on either side of it for new construction not grandfathered in. It is possible they can get a waiver for it.
Given the size of the project, it will most definitely have to go through Planning Dept, Engineerring, and a public process before the actual building permit is issued.