Hotel Projects Stall In Old Town Temecula, Across State

TEMECULA, CA — A proposed four-story hotel slated for a vacant lot in the heart of Old Town Temecula remains months away from construction, reflecting a broader pattern of delayed development across the state.

During Tuesday's 3 p.m. regularly scheduled meeting, Temecula City Council will consider a request from the project applicant Kirk Medeiros seeking a two-year extension on the proposal planned for 41950 Fourth St., near City Hall.

The Temecula Planning Commission initially approved the development plan on April 18, 2018. Construction has faced repeated delays since, with the developer requesting multiple timeline extensions.

If approved Tuesday, the extension would push the project's deadline to April 18, 2028.

Plans for the four-story hotel call for an underground parking garage, a bar, a restaurant, a fitness center, and other amenities.

The proposal is one of several stalled hotel projects in Old Town.

A separate four-story, 60,258-square-foot hotel is planned for the west side of Old Town Front Street, approximately 400 feet south of Santiago Road. Additional proposed developments include the 185-room Truax Hotel along Third Street, spanning from Mercedes to Front streets, and the Old Town Temecula Resort & Spa, slated for a 2.15-acre lot on the east side of Front Street between First and Second streets.

Industry experts point to soaring construction and labor costs, elevated interest rates, tight credit markets, and rising operational expenses as key factors slowing hotel development statewide.