It's been nearly four years since the Ridpath Hotel closed. Now there's another plan to make the building into apartments.

Design-and-build firm Wells and Company is looking to buy, renovate and revamp the Ridpath and the area around it. The company renovated the Steamplant and owns and operates about 30 apartment complexes.

The company's architect Ron Wendle aid he would turn the former hotel into "micro-apartment." The apartments are basically living areas the size of the current hotel rooms at 220 square feed with a kitchenette.

"The nature of renovations isn't so extensive. It's not a tremendous amount of construction that's necessary to put this together," said Wendle.

He also said there is a market for that particular style of apartment.

"A young professional out of college but not a lot of financial resource can live inexpensively in a place where they can get almost anything accomplished within 20 minutes," said Wendle.

Councilman Mike Allen agrees, since the recent housing plans for students in the University District fell through. Allen said it' the best plan he's heard for the hotel.

"It's an important piece of property downtown. It should be producing tax revenue for our citizens. It's an important public safety component because it puts eyes in the streets," said Allen.

A price hasn't been set for the building, but if the purchase goes through it would take six to nine months to create 20 units. Wendle also said most of the structure would be left in place.