Lamar Redevelopment Authority Okays Construction Funding for Max Hotel

Exterior of Stockman’s on East Olive Street,

The former Stockman’s Motor Inn, built in 1938, and now known as the MAX Hotel is currently being renovated by the new owner, Nancy Clark of Clark Broadway Building LLC, since its purchase in August, 2019. Clark has requested an economic incentive agreement of $14,600 for exterior improvements to the building located at the corner of East Olive and South Main Streets, at 201 South Main. The project is expected to take several years before completion.

The building is being re-purposed to create apartments for long-term rentals and will include a bar and lounge with food including retail and event space directed to short-term, ‘pop-up’ stores. Some exterior work has already been completed in addition to the gutting of the interior. New windows, doors, exterior lighting, paintwork, signage and decorations have already begun. Local expenditures are just over half completed at a current cost of $73,033.01. The request for 20% of that cost was approved by the Lamar Redevelopment Authority as presented by Angie Cue.

The Lamar Redevelopment Authority was presented with additional documentation based on an earlier request for construction funding from Joette and Cody DuVall, owners of Wild West Athletics in Lamar during its January 27^th meeting. However, it was not enough to satisfy some LRA board members as Manuel Tamez wanted to know if specific receipts for materials from the contractor could be presented. “We can’t tell from this if the cost is for one sheet of plywood or twenty,” he told Angie Cue, Community Development Director, who presented the request to the Authority Board. “I’d like to see something of the costs involved and the estimate of the damage to the building that required the new awning,” he added. The business had been asked to provide invoices and other documentation on the current estimate of expenses for the additional repair work involved in removing the old shingles, repairing the frame and replacing it with metal sheeting which added $25,525 to the project.

The Lamar Redevelopment Authority voted earlier to table a request for $5,105 in additional funding for Wild West Athletics during its December 23rd meeting. The funding would help cover unanticipated exterior work at Wild West Athletics at 110 North Main Street. The Authority had approved a request for $8,920 for façade improvements to all sides of the building when the couple began an upgrade to their business.

Cue said she would talk to the owners and come back with more information. The action on the request to table was made by member Oscar Riley with a unanimous vote of the Authority.

By Russ Baldwin