Historic hotel renovated in downtown Palmer

PALMER — Jason Gardner and his wife Jennifer recently renovated a historic hotel located in downtown Palmer off Evergreen Avenue near City Hall.

"I'm really, really excited about this project," Gardner said.

Gardner said they purchased the property in November of 2021 and moved out the occupants left from the previous owner's management in May of 2022. He said they had their work cut out for them when it was time to finally renovate due to the dilapidated state the building had been in for years.

"It was pretty bad when we first bought it," Gardner said.

It took a lot of time, energy, and resources to repair and restore the building. Gardner said the damage was very extensive and the interior was riddled with trash, carpet burns, and needles used for illicit drug use. He noted that one room, in particular, required 62 garbage bags to clear out.

"We couldn't even open the door," Gardner said.

Gardner said they let the occupants stay one more month and worked with social workers to move them out.

"It's been quite a process," Gardner said.

Gardner said that the whole family helped out with the renovation process. He said they hired out for major projects like plumbing and electrical work, but they did everything else they were able to do within the building code parameters- all while he and his wife worked full time jobs.

"It's been a labor of love," Gardner said. "I love this building. I love what we've done with it... and we earned it."

The hotel has a long history dating back to the colonial days of Palmer in 1936 when it was built by hand by the Hyland Family, according to Gardner. He said it operated as the Hyland Hotel for many years before it started changing owners and went through numerous names.

The building ultimately gained a notorious reputation for its shoddy conditions and for being a hub for illegal activities. Gardner said their goal is to save the historic building and re-establish it as a safe, respectable and reputable business. He said part of that vision is requiring remote bookings made ahead of time made online or telephonically with a credit card.

"Basically we're trying to provide a stay inside a historic building," Gardner said.

Gardner said they're going to operate the facility under the name Hyland Hotel to pay tribute to its historic roots. He said the building is a federally recognized facility and they did everything they could to maintain its colonial atmosphere while incorporating modern amenities. He said they were able to salvage some of the building's original features such as the old radiators and a plaque memorializing the Hyland family.

"We tried to maintain a bit of a period specific feel," Gardner said. "When we first bought it, it was just an old building... as we learned more about the building we were more passionate about it."

After all the renovations and upgrades, the hotel features eight rooms, including four suites. All the rooms are named after Palmer colonists and Alaskan settlers like George Palmer.

"We really tried to think of every detail," Gardner said.

Gardner said they recently held an open house with the Palmer Chamber and members of the community. He said they received a lot of positive feedback which added to their overall excitement.

"We have a ton of interest," Gardner said.

Preparations are about 90 percent complete, according to Gardner. He said they're just attending to the decorating and other finishing touches. He said they plan to open by May 1. He said that his family lives and works in Palmer and they want to announce their intent to grow with the community with a ribbon cutting ceremony and participating in events such as the Colony Days Parade.

"We just love Palmer," Gardner said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com