EL PASO, TEXAS — Paul Foster, the owner of the Plaza Hotel in El Paso, will invest approximately $78 million in renovations of the vacant property, which was built in 1930 and is a historic landmark. Foster’s team plans to convert the building into a boutique hotel with a minimum of 100 rooms, as well as 6,500 square feet of restaurant and bar space and 7,600 square feet of meeting space. Construction is expected to begin in early 2018.
ALLENTOWN, PA. — MCR has acquired the Hilton Garden Inn Allentown West, located at 230 Sycamore Road in Allentown, for $15 million. The 111-room hotel features an indoor pool, a fitness center, free Wi-Fi, 1,330 square feet of meeting space, The Great American Grill, a 24-hour business center and a 24-hour Pavilion Pantry. Guest rooms offer spacious work areas, 42-inch flat-screen televisions and coffeemakers. The name of the seller was not released.
ATLANTA — A 50/50 joint venture between affiliates of Atlanta-based developer Songy Highroads LLC and Hyatt Hotels Corp. has acquired a site in downtown Atlanta with plans to develop a new Hyatt Place hotel. Other terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The site, located at the corner of Lucky and Latimer streets, is located directly across from the Georgia Aquarium and one block from Centennial Olympic Park. An abandoned, two-story commercial building and public parking lot currently occupy the site, and both will be demolished to make way for the new hotel. Pricing, permitting and financing are underway, with a construction commencement date to be determined.
OVERLAND PARK, KAN. — Developer and manager Midas Hospitality Group has broken ground on a 123-room Home2 Suites by Hilton in Overland Park. The 65,000-square-foot extended-stay hotel will be located at 7121 W. 135th St. Completion of the $16.5 million project is slated for late 2018. Home2 Suites will offer fully equipped kitchens, a fitness center, business center, indoor pool, outdoor living area and pet-friendly environment. Thomas Construction is the general contractor, while Gray Design is the architect.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Summit Hotel Properties (NYSE: INN) has purchased a four-property hotel portfolio for $164 million. The portfolio contains a total of 652 guestrooms. The acquisition includes the 207-room Courtyard New Haven at Yale in New Haven, Conn.; the 148-room Hilton Garden Inn Boston/Waltham in Waltham, Mass.; the 175-room Residence Inn Cleveland Downtown in Cleveland; and the 122-room Homewood Suites by Hilton Tucson/St. Philip’s Plaza University in Tucson, Ariz. The Courtyard New Haven is situated adjacent to Yale University. It is the only Marriott-branded hotel within nearly 10 miles of downtown New Haven. The hotel underwent a renovation of all public spaces and guestrooms in 2016. The Hilton Garden Inn Boston/Waltham is centrally located along the Route 128/Interstate 95 corridor known as America’s Technology Highway. The hotel benefits from strong corporate demand with 16.4 million square feet of office space within three miles of the property and another 1 million square feet under construction. The recently renovated Residence Inn Cleveland Downtown is positioned within the Central Business District’s 9.5 million square feet of Class A office space, which includes the headquarters of Fortune 500 companies Sherwin-Williams, KeyCorp and Cliffs Natural Resources. The Homewood Suites by Hilton Tucson/St. Philip’s Plaza …
MILWAUKEE — Homewood Suites by Hilton has opened in downtown Milwaukee. The 94-suite hotel is located at 500 N. Water St. The hotel occupies a completely renovated historic building in downtown Milwaukee close to area attractions and convention space, the Wisconsin Center and the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Developed and owned by Button Block Holdings LLC and managed by Kinseth Hospitality Cos., the hotel features complimentary breakfast, Wi-Fi, a fitness center and indoor pool.
LAS VEGAS — The 158-room Homewood Suites by Hilton Las Vegas City Center has opened in Las Vegas. The hotel is located at 4625 Dean Martin Drive, half a mile from the Las Vegas Strip. Heritage Inn and Suites of Las Vegas owns the property, which Tharaldson Hospitality Management Co. manages. It offers studio to two-bedroom units that feature fully equipped kitchens, as well as separate living and sleeping areas.
JACKSON, MICH. — Home2 Suites by Hilton has opened in Jackson, about 35 miles south of Lansing, the capital of Michigan. The extended-stay hotel consists of 83 suites. Ontario Hospitality Inc. developed, owns and manages the property, which features fully equipped kitchens, complimentary Internet, breakfast, a combined laundry and fitness area, and indoor pool. The hotel is located at 2704 Bob McClain Drive off I-94.
LOS ANGELES — George Smith Partners has arranged $50 million in construction and renovation financing for a redevelopment project near Los Angeles International Airport. The 258,000-square-foot, 13-story office tower will be converted into a 129-key Hyatt House and a 272-key Hyatt Place Hotel in Los Angeles. The asset is situated on West Century Boulevard, one block away from LAX. The redeveloped Hyatt House and Hyatt Place Hotel will feature a mid-century-inspired urban design and rooms with 11.5-foot ceiling heights. Amenities include a rooftop bar, pool, and restaurant with unobstructed views from downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean, a variety of dining options and a fitness center. The project is scheduled for completion in 2019. Financing was arranged on behalf of 5959 LLC, an affiliate of California Real Estate Regional Center LLC.
BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — CBRE Hotels has brokered the sale of Park Plaza Hotel in Bloomington for an undisclosed price. The 209-room hotel is located at 4460 W 78th St. Circle. The property is located near the Mall of America and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Nate Sahn of CBRE represented the seller, Hospitality Properties Trust. A joint venture between Hawkeye Hotels and JR Hospitality purchased the property with plans to renovate the hotel and relaunch it as a Courtyard by Marriott the end of next year, according to Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
