A tipster sends word that protective fencing has appeared around a half-acre property in Sherman Oaks, signaling the impending start of work for a new hotel.

The project - first reported by the website LAOCDB - is slated for a parking lot at 12828 W. Riverside Drive.  Plans call for a four-story building, featuring 94 guest rooms, 61 parking spaces and ancillary features such as a swimming pool.

Renderings from COE Architecture International portray a contemporary low-rise structure, clad with a mixture of cement board panels and plaster.

The proposed evelopment - known as Hotel Sherman Oaks - is being developed by Ramcal Management, Inc.