Community Benefits

The Barlow Hotel represents more than just a new destination in Sebastopol; it's a commitment to enriching our community, bolstering the local economy, and enhancing our collective quality of life. This page highlights the key benefits our project proposes to the community of Sebastopol and its residents.

Economic Growth and Prosperity

  • Boost to Local Economy:

    The Barlow Hotel will boost Sebastopol's economy by adding about $2.01 million every year to the city's budget. This equates to 9.28% increase in its revenue as a share of General Revenue funds for the City of Sebastopol. This extra money will help improve local services and infrastructure and could also help reduce the city's budget deficit. Since the city keeps all the money from the hotel's Transient Occupancy Tax, this project directly supports Sebastopol's finances, giving the city more flexibility to fund important projects and needs.

  • Support for Local Businesses:

    The Barlow Hotel will help Sebastopol's businesses by encouraging tourists to stay longer and spend more in the city immersing themselves in everything Sebastopol has to offer. This change is expected to provide significant support to local businesses. RRC's analysis predicts the hotel will generate $31.4 million in economic activity annually, in Sonoma County, $23.4m of this in Sebastopol, equating to an additional $64,100 spent daily at Sebastopol's businesses, offering a much-needed boost to the local economy.

  • Supporting Artisan Producers:

    The Barlow Hotel's mission is to draw more visitors to our city, enhancing sales for local artisans and producers and to provide a welcoming place for visitors to Sonoma County to stay and enjoy all that Sebastopol has to offer.

    At its core, The Barlow is an expansive industrial campus dedicated to the production and sale of local goods. Spanning approximately 222,000 square feet, about 61% of The Barlow's area is devoted to the creation of local Sonoma County products, from wineries, distilleries, and breweries to wool and cheese making. Through The Barlow Hotel project and other initiatives, The Barlow aims to attract additional customers, helping these local producers flourish.

Environmental Stewardship

  • Flood Risk Reduction:

    By replacing 36,000 square feet of non-flood-protected buildings with our elevated project design, The Barlow Hotel will significantly reduce Sebastopol's vulnerability to flooding, making our community safer and more resilient.

  • Sustainable Design:

    Our commitment to sustainability is evident in the hotel's design, which includes passive flood protection, green spaces, and environmentally friendly materials, ensuring a minimal ecological footprint.

Enhanced Community Amenities

  • New Public Spaces:

    The hotel will offer meeting rooms, retail space, a gym, a spa, and dining options open to both guests and the public, adding valuable amenities to Sebastopol's landscape.

  • Increased Parking Availability:

    With 241 parking spaces (163 more parking spaces than required), the new parking lot will restore the badly damaged land at the Batch Plant and will ease parking constraints for residents and visitors alike, improving accessibility to The Barlow and downtown Sebastopol.

    See Parking Plan