Welcome back, Rodney Friedrich
St. Helena Star  May 07, 2009

See also: 2009 Lodging Project

Longtime St. Helenan Rodney Friedrich is one resilient businessman.

Despite having his various hotel plans rejected three times since 1982, and despite spending more than $1 million developing his plans, Friedrich senses the time is right to try again.

He’s correct: the time is right. St. Helena appears to be on the cusp of change, based on the following observations:

• The city’s General Plan update, currently under way, is likely to emerge with a blueprint that is more favorable to developments that serve tourists as well as locals.

• The city’s sewer and water systems appear to be in better shape than some might have us believe.

• Civic leaders and merchants are making a case that, in order to maintain the city’s charm and character, some investment must be made in the city’s future. That includes road and infrastructure improvements, workforce housing and healthy businesses.

• The apparent success of Cheers! St. Helena last Friday shows that local business owners are willing to share in the responsibility of making the downtown more attractive to locals and tourists alike.

Friedrich, in an interview this week with the Star editorial board, made a solid case for a 60-room “lodging facility” that would adopt the Highway 29 Specific Plan traffic-improvement recommendation to extend Oak Avenue from Grayson Avenue to Vidovich Avenue. Traffic to the new lodge would be accommodated by a Main/Grayson traffic light, long planned by the city, that Friedrich would help finance.

Regarding water, if the city is reluctant to provide water to the lodge, Friedrich is willing to provide his own supply from two existing wells, pending approval from the county and state.

Also, based on 2008 room rates in similar hotels in the area and a 2008 occupancy rate of more than 70 percent, the lodge would raise $861,000 in transient occupancy (hotel) taxes for the city in its first year and — assuming 3 percent growth per year — $967,000 in its fifth year.

Further, the lodge would create 17 new, permanent, local jobs — and at least 10 workforce-affordable rental units.

Finally, Friedrich noted, lodge guests would shop in town and eat at local restaurants, further increasing the tax benefits to St. Helena.

Friedrich said that, based on his investment to date, it might take more than eight years for him to turn a profit on the lodge. But he’s willing to make a go of it because he has been asked repeatedly by locals to try once again.

That’s another sign that the time is right, and that St. Helena is changing.

When Friedrich takes his next step this June or July — asking the city council to increase the city’s hotel room cap to allow 60 more rooms — may the winds of change still blow.

Later in the year, when he takes his proposed design to the planning commission, Friedrich should come to the meeting with more public support than he’s ever had during the past three decades.

The time is right. Check out Friedrich’s plan at www.vinelandstation.com, or e-mail him at vinelandstation@aol.com. Call him at 963-7600.

If you like what you see, let your city planning commissioners and councilmembers know.