Hagadone Corp. celebrated a major construction milestone Wednesday when the final structural beam was lowered into place at The Sherman Tower, a 16-story hotel rising along Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d’Alene. The topping-off ceremony, which drew roughly 75 people and lasted about 30 minutes, marks a pivotal step forward for one of the most significant hospitality developments North Idaho has seen in decades.
A Landmark Project Takes Shape on Sherman Avenue
The Sherman Tower sits between First and Second Street on Sherman Avenue, directly across from The Coeur d’Alene Resort. When complete, the tower will offer 139 lakeview guest rooms and three luxury suites, alongside a lobby café and lounge, a fitness center, a business center, and a rooftop restaurant featuring retractable glass walls. The project’s general contractor is Garco.
Project stakeholders and leaders signed the final beam before it was set in place — a tradition carried out at topping-off ceremonies across the construction industry. The moment drew a full circle of meaning for at least one attendee: John Barlow, who was also present at the 1985 topping-off ceremony for The Coeur d’Alene Resort itself. Barlow and Bill Reagan sketched the original concept for The Sherman Tower roughly three years ago.
“This is a milestone,” said Brad Hagadone at the ceremony.
Reagan pointed to the longer-term economic ripple effects the project is expected to generate. “When the tower opens, that investment doesn’t stop,” he said.
Rooted in a Vision to Transform Coeur d’Alene
The Sherman Tower carries forward the legacy of the late Duane Hagadone, whose ambition to remake what was once primarily a timber and mining town into a major destination resort community shaped the modern face of downtown Coeur d’Alene. The Coeur d’Alene Resort itself stands as the most visible product of that vision — and now, more than 40 years later, The Sherman Tower represents the next chapter of that investment in the city’s future.
The pairing of a new luxury tower directly adjacent to the existing Resort campus signals continued confidence in Coeur d’Alene’s draw as a destination, both for regional visitors and national travelers seeking lakeside accommodations along the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Kootenai County’s tourism and hospitality sector has remained a consistent engine of economic activity for the region, and a project of this scale adds meaningfully to that foundation.
The development also reflects a broader pattern of significant construction investment taking hold across the Coeur d’Alene area. As the region continues to attract new residents and visitors, large-scale projects are reshaping the skyline and sparking ongoing conversations about growth, infrastructure, and community character. Readers interested in how local development decisions are being managed can also follow the Coeur d’Alene Planning Commission’s recent approval of a large subdivision amid resident traffic concerns, and questions raised over transparency in a Kootenai County golf course sale.
Impact on Kootenai County’s Hospitality and Economy
A 16-story tower with nearly 140 guest rooms and a rooftop dining experience will add substantial capacity to Coeur d’Alene’s hospitality market. The rooftop restaurant — with its retractable glass walls — is poised to become a standout amenity, offering sweeping views of the surrounding landscape that few comparable venues in North Idaho can match. The lobby café and lounge, fitness center, and business center round out an offering aimed at both leisure and business travelers.
For downtown Coeur d’Alene merchants, hotel workers, and the broader service economy stretching from Post Falls to Hayden, a project of this size carries real employment and revenue implications. Construction jobs are already flowing through local contractors and subcontractors, and the permanent hospitality workforce the tower will require adds another layer of long-term economic benefit for Kootenai County residents.
What Comes Next
With the structural work now complete, interior buildout and finishing work will carry The Sherman Tower toward its targeted spring opening. Visitors and locals alike will be watching as the tower’s rooftop restaurant and lakeview suites come online, adding a new landmark to the already iconic downtown Coeur d’Alene waterfront corridor. No specific opening date beyond spring has been announced at this time.