SEASIDE SPOTLIGHT: Our latest profile in a series focused on the behind-the-scenes movers who make Seaside the unique destination it is today. Next. Previously.
Masudur “Masud” Khan had an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age growing up in Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh, where as an undergraduate student, he ran a college coaching and tutoring center.
He’s come a long way from coaching. As the founder and CEO of Khan Properties in Seaside, Khan has worn many hats as a hotelier and investor during the past 13 years. Whether he’s developing a new concept of multihousing complexes on South Holladay Drive, renovating a historic building in the Gilbert District or bringing new energy to Seaside’s beloved Bagels by the Sea, Khan is always dreaming big.
“I don’t believe the gentleman sleeps,” Brian J. Owen, the CEO of the Seaside Chamber of Commerce, says with a laugh. “Masud has so many projects in the works. He is entrepreneurial from the heart, and that starts with his passion for employees and customers.”
Khan relocated from Novi, Michigan, to the Beaverton area in 2009 after his wife, Taslema Sultana, accepted a position with Intel. After working most of his career as a mechanical engineer, Khan took a leap and pivoted into hospitality and real estate. He had always been drawn to the water and coastal communities, so Seaside was a natural fit. That year he founded a hotel-focused management company for properties that included the Inn at Seaside, the River Inn, the Coast River Inn and the SaltLine Hotel.
Diversifying Into Housing, Historic Hotels and Even Bagels
The COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty helped Khan understand the importance of his employees and locals being able to find and afford housing. This inspired him to develop multihousing complexes on South Holladay Drive. His other housing project is located on Highway 101 and is expected to be completed by late 2023, offering close to 80 units of apartments.
His family even bought a house along the Necanicum River that he loves to stay in. Khan says Seaside is an excellent place to center his work because it has a little bit of everything. “Good restaurants, good people, good proximity to everything,” he says. “The community has been very supportive from the beginning.”
Khan has also turned his sights to Seaside’s 36,000-square-foot Gilbert Block Building, which he purchased in October 2021 through Khan Properties, his current venture. He plans to restore the building to its 1914 historic charm and transform the second floor into a high-end hotel. The 25-room hotel is slated to open in mid-2024, with the building continuing to house longtime retail tenants.
Most recently, Khan bought Seaside’s beloved Bagels by the Sea in hopes of enhancing the already popular business.
Owen, who met Khan five years ago through the Chamber, says it’s a joy to see the pride Khan takes in what he has built in Seaside. “His impact on our community has been positive from the beginning, and we’re just seeing it grow and grow,” Owen says. “I’m excited to see his next endeavors.” Free Official Travel Guide
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Family and Community Life
When Khan is not working, he enjoys traveling, gardening, and spending time with his wife and three daughters. Last year his wife, Sultana, joined Khan Properties and is helping in business operations and finance. She also operates other properties — including two in Seaside: the Gilbert Inn and Inn at the Prom — through her own company, Haystack Lodgings.
Khan is the previous chairman of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association (ORLA) and received the Lodging Operator of the Year award from ORLA in 2015.
“It gives me pleasure to see the results of my work,” Khan says. “I like helping others and communities. I like creating something new and unique, taking ideas and making better experiences for people. Our focus is how we can take Seaside to the next level.”
