Milky Way motel breaks ground amidst orbital of Bywater hospitality businesses

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Milky Way Motel will feature 17 rooms, a bar, and a container-style swimming pool.

Located at 3039 St. Claude Ave., former auto yard site in Bywater .

Project cost estimated at $2.3 million; opening expected fall 2026.

Designed by local MK RED firm, blending modern design with neighborhood character.

Kyle Resmondo is a longtime Bywater resident who over the last decade has built his construction career managing multi-million-dollar residential real estate projects. But in the back of his mind he has always envisioned venturing into commercial development and investment.

When working on a home in the Bywater, Resmondo saw a commercial property become available at 3039 St. Claude Ave., and he saw the lot – already zoned for use as a hotel – as an opportunity to