COEUR d'ALENE - It has been talked about for years, but recent activity on east Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive has some wondering if redevelopment might come sooner rather than later.

Matt Carnagey, owner of Two Lakes Motel on east Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive, said he has been approached by a development company called Covered Bridge Growth LLC that is interested in his property.

"Whoever is doing this is definitely trying to make it happen," Carnagey said, adding it would be nice to see that end of town redeveloped.

Carnagey said he and his wife bought the Two Lakes Motel property a few years ago and had planned to build a larger hotel that overlooks Lake Coeur d'Alene, but the economy took a turn for the worse so they just sat on their plans.

Now they are considering selling it.

Like most of the property on the east side of Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive, the Carnagey property is actually in the city of Fernan Village.

Fernan Mayor Dick Jurvelin said nobody has filed for any permits yet, but the city clerk has had some inquiries about the city's commercial ordinances and liquor license availability.

"Obviously, we would like to see something develop on that property," Jurvelin said. "But we haven't had anything solid yet."

The mayor said he believes someone may doing some due diligence work.

Covered Bridge Growth LLC already owns Cedars RV Park on the west side of Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive. The company is owned by Ron Ayers, who could not be reached for comment Monday.

Coeur d'Alene Mayor Steve Widmyer said he has heard of Ayers' plans for the area.

"I have heard that he has plans but it's really nothing more than conversation right now," he said.

Carnagey believes the project is going to be significant, and could involve a new urban renewal district at that end of town.

Tony Berns, executive director of the Lake City Development Corp. said he has heard there are plans, but added that talk has been going on about that end of town for years.

"That's just an idea. People would like to have something go on down there," Berns said, adding a lot of things would have to happen first. "An economic engine would have to exist in that geography that would fund an urban renewal agency."

Because of the two-city dynamic, Berns said establishing an urban renewal district in that area would be more complicated - but it is a possibility.

"I know there are people interested about doing different things, but it's all just conversation," Berns said. "It's just ideation right now."