Green Tree Inn & Suites, 516 Galloway St., Eau Claire.

In a move that will add a unique element to the Chippewa Valley travel market, downtown Eau Claire will be home to a newly remodeled, creative “boutique” hotel as early as next year, a group of local investors has announced. The entrepreneurial team has purchased the Green Tree Inn & Suites, 516 Galloway St., and plan to relaunch it as a yet-to-be-named boutique hotel in late 2014 or early 2015.

The new owners – who include a few names you’ll recognize – hope to take advantage of the site’s central location as they transform it into a tourist and cultural destination. The hotel, located at the well-traveled intersection of Galloway and Farwell streets, is just across from the city’s extensive bike trail system, is near the Eau Claire and Chippewa rivers, and is close to numerous entertainment, cultural, and dining opportunities.

The Eau Claire-based ownership group is a diverse lot with extensive experience in a variety of fields, from music, media, and design to hospitality and event management. It includes musician Justin Vernon of the Grammy-winning band Bon Iver; Zach Halmstad, co-founder of JAMF Software; Ben Richgruber, executive director of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Council; Stuart Sandler, a Web entrepreneur and font designer including successful sites like MisterRetro.com and FontDiner.com; and (full disclosure) Nick Meyer, the editor, publisher, and owner of Volume One and The Local Store. (It’s important to note that these individuals – and not the businesses or facilities they represent – are involved in the project.)

Though still in its early stages, the project has a big fan in Linda John, executive director of Visit Eau Claire, who was consulted during the pre-development phase. “[These partners] are creative, talented, and highly successful businesspeople who are living in the Eau Claire brand every day,” she said. “With their combined talents, they have incredible depth in the areas of management, marketing, technology, and creative development. I consider this to be a hotel development ‘dream team’ and Visit Eau Claire would welcome the opportunity to work with them closely as an extension of their sales/marketing force to help ensure the success of this venture.”

The current plan calls for 30 “modern and creative” rooms in the property’s two parts  – a three-story 1940s brick structure and a two-story 1960s-era motel-style building. Plans also include “interesting programming elements both inside and out focusing in the areas of music, arts, and recreation,” the owners said in a press release. “With an overarching goal of evoking a genuine sense of place in the property, and through the unique amenities planned for the site, partners anticipate the property becoming a distinct destination loved as much by locals as by travelers,” the press release adds.

The Green Tree Inn will continue to operate under its current management until early spring, when it will be closed so renovations can begin. SDS Architects of Eau Claire has examined the property and found it to be in good shape, although some upgrades are of course needed. Stay tuned for further developments on this exciting project in the near future.