Ogden Properties LLC, owner of the 6,000-square-foot structure at 136 Historic 25th St., has renovated the building to include a pair of spacious second-story condominiums that offer a breathtaking view of Ben Lomond Peak and the bustling streetscape below.

The condos will be rented out for short-term stays much like hotel rooms, Scot Nicol, an Ogden Properties partner from Santa Rosa, Calif., said Tuesday.

Nicol said that, when he first toured The Grand in January 2007, it housed a taxidermy business.

"When I walked in, it was stinky," he said, recalling the visit. "There were deer legs lying on the floor and in garbage cans."

However, even then, Nicol said, he realized the building could be transformed into something spectacular that would contribute to the revitalization of downtown.

"I love being able to walk out the door, turn right or left and having 10 good restaurants right downtown," said Nicol, who has been staying in one of the condominiums for the last several days.

Richard McConkie, the city's deputy director of community and economic development, said renovations at The Grand will benefit Historic 25th Street.

"It's a tremendous addition to the street. It's the kind of project we have always hoped for. It's advancing confidence in downtown." Dan Musgrave, president of Downtown Ogden Inc., agrees.

"Historic 25th Street is fast becoming the No. 1 tourist attraction in Northern Utah," he said.

The Grand, built in 1898, has a colorful history. Over the years, it has housed a saloon, rooming house, grocery store, billiards parlor, restaurant, dry cleaners, shoe repair shop and coffee shop.

Brick work inside the building marking the location of several small rooms or cribs indicates The Grand also probably once served as a brothel, Nicol said.

Maintaining the historical integrity of the hotel while adding modern amenities is the hallmark of The Grand's renovations.

The unfurnished first floor encompasses about 3,000 square feet that would be suitable for a restaurant, said Nicol, who hasn't yet leased the space.

A long stairway connects to the second floor, where a 1,000-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath condominium is located.

The condo that overlooks Historic 25th Street features walnut hardwood floors, a high-definition flat-screen television and wireless Internet service. It will rent for $50 to $125 a night depending on the length of stay, Nicol said.

Down the hall from it is a 2,000-square-foot condo that features a large living room, large gourmet kitchen, wood-burning fireplace, computer, stereo system and a picture window that is 10 feet tall and 20 feet wide, as well as a balcony facing Ben Lomond.

Rates for that condo run from $105 to $275 a night.

Renovations at The Grand are nearly identical to what was planned at The Windsor Hotel, 166 Historic 25th St., which is also owned by Ogden Properties, Nicol said.

Ogden Properties decided against renovating the 100-year-old Windsor in September after the city council voted against an ordinance amendment that would have allowed a fourthfloor penthouse, easing a 45-foot height restriction.

Ogden Properties has since applied for a demolition permit for the Windsor, but the Ogden Redevelopment Agency has an option to buy the hotel if an occupancy permit isn't issued by April 30.

The RDA contract with Ogden Properties allows it to buy the hotel for $332,000 plus verified expenses for capital improvements, McConkie said.

However, additional costs submitted by Ogden Properties for the Windsor have not been validated and the RDA has no plans to buy the hotel, he said.

Nicol said it's disappointing the height ordinance amendment wasn't approved for the Windsor, but added Ogden Properties is pleased with the other buildings it owns downtown.

In addition to The Grand and The Windsor, Ogden Properties owns the Dance Hall and the Speak Easy at 2324 and 2318 Washington Blvd., respectively.

Nicol said Ogden Properties has no immediate plans to renovate those buildings.

  Ogden Properties partner Scot Nicol sits in The Grand hotel, which is newly restored, at 136 Historic 25th Street in Ogden on Tuesday. The building has two rental units upstairs and commercial space on the ground level