An alleyway is the only thing stopping HRC Hotels LLC from closing on 101, 121 and 114 S.W. Second St.

Terry Hall of HRC Management Co. LLC, which manages HRC Hotels, said his company is excited about purchasing the lots, but they do not want to sign on the dotted line until they know the alley can be vacated. The Michigan-based company plans to erect a 140-room Hampton Inn and Suites hotel on the property.

“We wouldn’t want an alley running through the center of our hotel, so that has been holding us from moving forward,” Hall said.

The request to vacate the alley will go before the Des Moines Planning and Zoning Commission on July 16. Mike Ludwig, planning administrator for the city of Des Moines, said the staff recommendation was to approve the vacation but “we’ll see what happens Thursday.”

If the request passes the commission it will then be passed on to the Des Moines City Council for approval.

The acre of property is being brokered by Ferguson Commercial Real Estate for Riverfront Associates LP. The asking price is $2 million, but neither HRC nor Riverfront was willing to disclose the contracted price. Bill Wright of Terrus Real Estate Group, which is representing HRC, said the property will most likely close in mid-September.

“People have been coming out of the woodwork to help us, and that really makes a difference,” Hall said. “And we hope to enhance this community in return.”

HRC Hotels will be using Valparaiso, Ind.-based Good Hospitality Services Inc. for the development of the property and, when the hotel opens in late 2010 or early 2011, for day-to-day operations. A representative at Good Hospitality said it was too early to disclose details on construction costs.

Hall said HRC had not yet worked out the financing details, but it is considering using a local source.