Developer to convert historic Highland property into several luxury apartments

The Eagle Inn will soon become high-end apartments, a redevelopment aided by the city of Highland.

The building was originally constructed as a hotel for millworkers in 1838, and has gone through a variety of uses in addition to its history as a dwelling: It was a post office, a stagecoach stop, a dance hall and saloon. It’s also gone through a lot of names, including the Columbia Hotel, Bonn Inn, and Uptown Apartments, according to Jeffrey Menz of the Highland Historical Commission.

It was renamed the Eagle Inn Apartments in 1990, but has fallen into disrepair. Now a developer has purchased the property and will be investing $1.4 million to rehabilitate and develop the property into a smaller number of luxury apartments.

Of that amount, approximately $400,000 is the purchase cost of the existing property at 800 Main St., and $1 million will cover the rehabilitation and remodeling of the building.

Developer Gayle Frey wrote in the application that it will be a challenging project to convert 14 efficiency apartments into four to six luxury apartments with bigger spaces and dedicated parking.

“This will be a considerably difficult project with significant pitfalls and cost considerations due to the extremely bad condition of the property,” Frey wrote. “Another mitigating factor is the considerably higher material and construction costs and supply disruptions that are currently plaguing the industry.”

Frey said the city’s assistance would be necessary in order to make the project feasible, but that it would greatly improve the property itself and the surrounding neighborhood.

“The city is very excited about this renovation within our downtown area,” said Breann Vazquez, director of community development. “The renovation will create a new option for luxury apartment living in the heart of the city ... The facade improvements will nicely compliment new businesses located on the square.”

At its last meeting, the Highland City Council approved financial assistance to the project of approximately 20 percent to a maximum of $280,000, rebated from property taxes and reimbursed fees. While that is the maximum, the estimate is that the actual incentive will be less than $70,000. City staff leaders recommended approval to the council.

Frey wrote that the renovation should begin in early 2023 and finish by early 2024.

This story was originally published June 19, 2022 at 1:44 AM.