Former hotel in Clive being transformed into apartments with updates and added amenities

A former hotel in Clive is being remade into permanent housing and developers expect the first renovated apartments to be available within about 60 days.

Jason Grove and Tina Smothers bought Clive Hotel and Suites at 11040 Hickman Road in December 2023 and are working to turn the property into a 119-unit apartment building with mostly studio and one-bedroom units, as well as a handful of two-bedroom units.

The six-story, more than 73,000-square-foot building with was built in 1974 and last remodeled at least 15 years ago, according to Polk County property records.

Grove told the Des Moines Register, "Tina and I, our background has been in finding properties in the right location that maybe need work or repurposing."

The former hotel turned apartment building — to be known as The McCoy at 8035 — has a good structure and location, Grove said.

He and Smothers previously have partnered on two other apartment conversions. Units at The Village at Gray's Lake are former dorms for what had been the AIB College of Business on Bell Avenue in Des Moines. And The Vibe at 8035 is the former Sterling Hotel and Suites at 11428 Forest Ave. in Clive.

Batra Hospitality Group Inc. sold Clive Hotel and Suites to Groves and Smothers' The McCoy at 8035 LLC in December 2023 for $5.89 million. Batra had bought the hotel in January 2023 for $5.6 million.

The hotel was assessed by the county in 2023 at $1.15 million, and the land it's on at $1.18 million.

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New residents at The McCoy can expect gym membership, dog park and other amenities

The hotel had offered short-term apartment rentals and extended-stay options for studios and one- and two-bedroom suites — some with kitchenettes and others with full-size appliances, according to Tripadvisor and photos on the former hotel's Facebook page.

Grove said 50% to 60% of the building's units are occupied. Renovations have started with vacant units and Grove said the remaining units will be redone as people move out or move to different apartments within the building.

He'd like to have all rooms that are available for renovation ready by the summer.

"Mostly, everything is real cosmetic in nature," Grove said of updates to rooms, citing appliances, paint, flooring, light fixtures, cabinets, countertops and additional closet space.

Smothers said exterior renovation will start in the spring. That will include adding a dog park and a patio in addition to new paint and landscaping.

The apartments will not have dishwashers and each floor will have communal laundry facilities. But residents also will have access to a fitness center, pet washing station, game room and package delivery room inside the building.

Residents also will have Genesis Health Clubs memberships for no extra charge. The clubs' Hickman Road facility is next door.

Smothers touted the building being next to other businesses, including a Starbucks, Subway and nail salon.

She and Grove see the McCoy as ideal for working people, and Smothers said that kind of housing — especially studio apartments — is needed in the western suburbs.

Studio apartments at the McCoy will start at $850 a month, one-bedroom apartments at $1,025 and two-bedroom units at $1,425.

The studios and one bedroom apartments will each have one bathroom, while two-bedroom units will have two bathrooms.

Smothers said water, electric and internet are included in the rent.

Grove said the renovations are expected to cost $1.5 million to $1.6 million, and the project is not receiving any subsidies or incentives from the city of Clive.

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Phillip Sitter focuses for the Des Moines Register on reporting on suburban growth and development in the western metro areas.Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Hotel to become Clive apartments with updates, added amenities