An Eau Claire couple is getting the go ahead to embark on a big project. That project sits at 2 South Barstow Street along the Chippewa River.

Eau Claire's Redevelopment Authority granted Sharyn and John Moss permission to move ahead with their plans to turn the 102 year old building into a boutique hotel, called Eau Claire River Inn. .
Wednesday was a day for celebration. Sharyn Moss says, “I’m so excited! I could do a jig, it’s the Irish in me!”

Moss has had her eye on the 2 South Barstow building for the past 12 years. She says, “When I first moved to Eau Claire, I lived on Barstow and worked at Eau Claire Academy and I would walk by this building every day and think, wow something needs to happen to that building.”

And the Moss’s were in luck -- Sharyn says back in August she and husband John saw the city was taking bids for the building, “So we jumped on board, and shortly thereafter came up with the design of Eau Claire River Inn, and now we’re here today.”

The Moss’s are diving right in -- with an initial investment of more than $1.2 million -- it's a big risk, but one they are excited about taking. John says, “Well it's just sort of the lifestyle we want to lead and I think it'll make us very happy and we believe in the downtown and enjoy it down here, and we plan on spending our lives in Eau Claire.”

Eau Claire Economic Development Administrator Mike Schatz says the Redevelopment Committee is excited about the Moss’s plan because of what it would do for downtown Eau Claire. He says, “It’s in a good location, it’s a concept that will bring value to the downtown and bring more people to the downtown.”

Sharyn says, “It's a special building, and it's a beautiful building, and I can’t wait to proceed.”

The Moss’s say their vision includes renting out the ground floor of the three story building for commercial use, the second and part of the third floor would be the inn, and the Moss’s and their two children would live in the other part of the third floor. The Moss’s say the inn will be of luxury class with eight to nine high end rooms.

If all their finances are approved as planned, the Moss’s tentatively plan on opening their inn in May of 2010.