Planning Board Backs Plans For Hotel In Downtown Beverly

BEVERLY, MA -- The Beverly Planning Board unanimously approved a proposal to convert the building that once house Brown's Bicycle Shop into a 13-room micro-hotel. In addition to the hotel on the first floor, the plan calls for retail space in the building while keeping seven, existing apartments on the upper floors. According to the Salem News, which first reported this story, residents that spoke at Tuesday night's hearing were mostly supportive of the project.

Local real estate developer Benjamin Carlson purchased the property through 278 Cabot LLC for $2.3 million last year. Micro-hotels have been gaining popularity over the past five years in the travel industry.

The hotel industry has seen the concept -- which utilizes smaller rooms and more common areas for guests -- as a way to combat competition from short-term rentals, like those provided by Airbnb. By combining concepts from cruise ships and hostels, the concept has been a hit with younger and more independent-minded travelers.

For more on this story, see the Salem News. Subscribe to Beverly Patch for more local news and real-time alerts.

Patch file photo via Shutterstock.