Last updated: Nov. 17, 2022

Project name: 324 Front Street: Cruz Hotel

  • Location: Front and Laurel streets downtown. Part of the property is now a city parking lot.
  • Status: Santa Cruz City Council approved the start of a potential sale of two publicly-owned parcels to a developer for a proposed high-end hotel. The resolution does not guarantee the land sale.
    • As of November 2022, city officials had not received a complete application from the developer for review.
    • The potential project relies on the sale of the Santa Cruz Community Credit Union building at 324 Front St. to the developer. As of July 8, the developer had a contract with the credit union to buy the building, but the sale was not final. A group of mostly credit union members oppose the sale and have requested a special meeting of the credit union board to discuss the sale.
  • Developer: SCFS Venture, a New York-based company affiliated with New York-based hotel real estate investor Eagle Point Hotel Partners and Santa Cruz-based developer Owen Lawlor of Lawlor Land Use.

A six-story hotel is proposed for 324 Front St. in downtown Santa Cruz. (BCV Architecture + Interiors)

A parking lot at Front and Laurel streets is part of the planned hotel project. (Brian Phan — Santa Cruz Local)

Project description

  • Details: This project calls for a six-story hotel building at 324 Front St. The hotel project includes:
    • 228 rooms
    • Retail and cafe space on Front Street
    • Meeting rooms and a ballroom
    • A restaurant and bar that opens to the San Lorenzo Riverwalk
    • A gym, spa and rooftop pool
    • The developer would be required to build a public walkway that connects Front Street and the Riverwalk on another city lot just north of the proposed hotel.

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