Hotel development

The first five floors of the tower will consist of a concrete parking garage with 351 parking spaces nestled between the Continental Hotel and Arana buildings that will blend “seamlessly”, according to HDRC documents.

The remaining 10 floors will consist of 258 residential units, starting with a sixth-floor “amenity” room that leads to a terrace and swimming pool above the parking garage building.

Weston Urban plans to transform the Continental and Arana spaces, built in 1896 and 1926 respectively, into commercial offices and creative lofts.

Part of these plans include major exterior renovations to the Continental Hotel building on the Commerce Street side and the addition of the Arana Building on the Dolorosa Street side. The renovations include restoring the original masonry designs of the storefront, cleaning the bricks and stones, and installing new windows that replicate the original windows.

Weston Urban also wants to remove the rear additions from the Continental and Arana that were built in the ’80s and’ 90s.

While the plans will leave the historic Garza House between the Continental and Arana buildings, Weston Urban will relocate the O’Henry House. Although the O’Henry House is in a historic district, the structure is not on a local registry and is listed as non-contributory to the National
Register at the historic district.

The developer hasn’t finalized the new location, but Weston Urban does note in the plans that the O’Henry House was moved in the 1990s from its original location to the Lone Star Brewery.

The plans are expected to be presented to the HDRC on Wednesday.

July 30, 2021

It was 1921 when the Great War to End All Wars and the Spanish Flu epidemic were still fresh in the minds of the people of Mount Airy, but they were ready to make history on the local front. .

In June 1921, prominent citizens of this community gathered downtown in the dining hall of the Blue Ridge Hotel to form a local chapter of Kiwanis International, a service organization founded six years earlier in Detroit.

Those who came together for this case a century ago could be described as community actors and agitators, including Dr Moir S. Martin, a prominent local surgeon who was chosen as the youngster’s first president. Mount Airy Kiwanis Club.

A report from the session pointed out that with the mandatory organizational details taken care of, the club now “expects to get on with real business” – which it did in another well-attended meeting. late June 1921.

Members were asked to write their ideas on what Mount Airy needed on slips of paper, which were placed in a box near the front door. Of these suggestions – reported in the June 23, 1921 issue of The Mount Airy News – some are outdated by modern standards, but other relevant ideas are still bearing fruit today:

• A member who had only lived in Mount Airy for a short time saw a public library as a major need, saying he had resided in other places with libraries. And not having access here seemed to him “a delicate situation which is a handicap for a city which hopes to progress”.

• Several members felt the club should lobby for manufacturing companies in Mount Airy, including a knitting factory.

• It was also in this sense that “an ice factory of sufficient capacity to meet the needs of this section” was suggested, a necessity in the days when not everyone had refrigerators.

• The priority for two local doctors was the establishment of a “more systematic form” of local refuse collection.

• A number of residents saw the need for better streets and an up-to-date sewage system.

• A local businessman complained about jitneys (buses or other vehicles carrying paying passengers), parking in front of downtown stores, saying the practice should be regulated to prevent obstruction of trade for businesses. key moments. Such a situation continues today with the presence of delivery trucks.

• In addition to the quality of life, the subject of death was on the minds of these early Kiwanians, especially the method of taking better care of “our graveyard” (Oakdale).

“Some thought the city should take control of it and ensure it becomes a more attractive place to honor all who live here,” the newspaper said. The municipal government later acquired Oakdale Cemetery on North Main Street.

A public library and better utility and garbage systems would also emerge.

Still active today

The Mount Airy Kiwanis Club hosted a charter party on October 14, 1921 at the Blue Ridge Hotel, with 48 members certified as its original members.

The modern version of the group has seen its membership decline.

“We were up to sixteen at a time, but we fell because of this COVID,” said Bettsee McPhail, who served as president of the Kiwanis Club for three years. Other factors have included deaths, time changes and attrition, with McPhail adding on Wednesday that he now has around 10 members.

Yet at the age of 100 this year, the local Kiwanis spirit remains strong.

McPhail pointed out that the club has played a role in public health through projects such as promoting organ donation by distributing armbands to local students.

“It’s an ongoing thing,” she said, who has also been hampered by the coronavirus due to scheduled visits to Surry County high schools as part of the canceled “Donate Life” program.

The Mount Airy Kiwanis Club is also sponsoring blood drives, including one on July 22 at the American Red Cross offices on Westlake Drive.

Along with health-related initiatives, McPhail said the club is considering programs focused on helping children, in line with the main focus of Kiwanis International, which now has a presence in more than 80 countries and geographies.

It is described as a global organization of volunteers “dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time” through their various efforts.

“Every community has different needs, and Kiwanis enables its members to seek out creative ways to meet the needs of children, such as fighting hunger, improving literacy and providing counseling,” adds the Kiwanis International website.

The global organization addresses large-scale challenges such as the fight against disease and poverty.

“I think our main project is to work with the kids,” McPhail plans ahead for local Kiwanians to get involved with middle school kids by helping them read and serving as mentors for young people in need of attention. particular.

She mentioned that her group also sponsors the Aktion Club at Surry Community College, the only service club for adults with disabilities.

The Kiwanis Club meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at Gondola Italian Restaurant on West Lebanon Street, which includes dinner and a business session. New members are welcome, according to McPhail, who can be reached at 336-719-6853 for more details.

At its last meeting, the club was visited by a state Kiwanis official, Joanne LeDonne de Clemmons, who is lieutenant governor of District 5, one of its 26 districts in the Carolinas.

LeDonne urged local members to maintain their commitment and add to Kiwanis’ rich history in Mount Airy.

“She really inspired us,” McPhail said.

“It was an attractive opportunity to strengthen our participation in the post-pandemic recovery of the New York City hotel sector”, CEO of Square Mile Elliot Rattner said in a statement. “We are confident that travelers to New York will once again want to stay in the center of all the city has to offer. Overall, when complete, this downtown Manhattan property’s unique location, brand affiliations, and various room offerings will create a compelling set of options for a variety of traveler segments.

S3 Capital also provided a $ 230 million senior construction loan for the property.

Officials at McSam, based in Great Neck, New York, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the funding.

Upon completion, the property will include a Hilton branded hotel development consisting of a Home2 Suites, 358 keys Hampton inn and 400 keys Currency. Its amenities will include restaurants, lounges, cafes, breakfast rooms, exercise rooms, select meeting spaces, laundry facilities and a shared rooftop lounge.

Construction is underway and the project is scheduled to open by the end of 2022.

“The funding for this preferred stock investment demonstrates growing market confidence in a strong recovery in the New York hotel industry,” Hakim said in a statement. “A combination of factors such as a prime location in Times Square, top Hilton hotel flags, and top-notch developer sponsorship were all compelling features of this transaction. “

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A Waterloo-based developer has said he would like to start construction this summer on a $ 6.5 million four-story luxury hotel overlooking Sauble Beach.

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Borz Fariborzi, president of Canada House Design & Build, said if all goes according to plan, the excavators should be in the ground on South Bruce Peninsula property during the second week of August.

It will take approximately 16 months to build the Lakeshore Inn, proposed for 119 Lakeshore Blvd. N. and a few steps from the Sauble shore.

“From what I’ve seen and heard, this is the best beach in Ontario,” said Fariborzi, when asked why the company chose Sauble Beach for a hotel development.

He said the company has built many hotels over the years.

The proposed Lakeshore Inn would include 21 units and a restaurant on the ground floor. It will be the only building over two floors across the street, parallel to the beach.

South Bruce Peninsula council is scheduled to hold a public meeting on July 6 at 9 a.m. on a zoning bylaw amendment for the hotel project.

The owner proposes to change the zoning of 122 Second Ave. N. Adjacent to Resort Residence to “General Commercial Unserviced Special” to allow use of this property for parking and onsite sewage treatment and disposal for the hotel.

South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson said it would be interesting to hear what the community thinks about the hotel project during the public consultation process.

She said the city would like to see an increase in tourism during shoulder season, which has proven difficult due to so few accommodation open in winter.

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“This boutique hotel could point us in the right direction and generate new tourism revenue,” she said.

Danielle Edwards, economic development officer for South Bruce Peninsula, said the developer would like the hotel to be open all four seasons. It will employ eight to twelve people, she said.

“This year-round hotel development will provide a tourism infrastructure that will support our efforts to increase tourism development in shoulder and off-season,” she said.

The Lakeshore Boulevard property has been owned by Canada House since at least 2016. That year, the South Bruce Peninsula leased it for $ 8,000 to provide additional paid municipal parking for visitors to Sauble Beach, according to the lawsuit. minutes from the September 2016 board meeting.

Maison Canada is a consulting, structural design and construction company, according to the company’s website.

Its online portfolio includes properties in Waterloo, Ontario, Georgia, United States, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The listed construction costs of the portfolio projects range from $ 190,000 for a house in Waterloo completed in 2007 to $ 27.3 million for the Dubai Police Tower, also completed in 2007.

Another Accor lifestyle hotel brand is heading to the Middle East, the latest in a wave of activity in the Parisian hotel company’s region even as overall hotel development there has remained almost at a standstill since. a year.

Hyde Hotels, Resorts & Residences plans to open its first hotel outside the United States in Dubai, executives of the brand exclusively at Skift announced on Monday. The 276-room hotel will be located in the city’s Business Bay district, near the Burj Khalifa tower, and will feature many food and experience-focused elements that define hotel lifestyle. The Hyde Dubai Business Bay project is expected to open by the end of this year.

This is the latest in a series of recent announcements in the Middle East region from Accor, which opened its first SLS property in Dubai earlier this year and recently announced plans to open a second Raffles in the city ​​at Palm Dubai development.

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The company has other Raffles projects under development in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Accor also partnered earlier this year with Faena, which is underway with a project in Dubai.

Accor’s construction surge comes as the region seeks to reverse a seven-quarter drop in hotel development with more emphasis on leisure travel.

“You have a big push on leisure in the [United Arab Emirates], Oman and Saudi Arabia, ”said Louis Abboud, deputy director of lifestyle brands at Accor, in an interview with Skift ahead of Monday’s announcement. “All of these markets can have significant growth in leisure. They have amazing beaches, their governments are behind them, and I think that’s why they see significant growth coming on this front. “

Accor’s lifestyle push stems from many of the brands it acquired when it was acquired by SBE, such as SLS and Hyde. The two brands are expected to be integrated into Ennismore, Accor’s planned joint venture with the owner of lifestyle hotel brands like Hoxton.

Hilton has the most development projects in the Middle East, with 93 properties in its development pipeline, according to Lodging Econometrics. But Accor has the largest number of hotel rooms in development with 25,882 compared to 25,200 for Hilton.

Accor anticipates even more hotel growth in the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi Arabia is a market that is really driving and will continue to drive growth in the region,” Abboud said. “Saudi Arabia has made a very bold decision to move away from its dependence on oil.”

Tourism is one of the main sectors that Saudi Arabia wants to diversify its economy into as part of its Saudi Vision 2030 plan to go beyond oil. The planned resorts along the Red Sea coast as well as the planned “smart city” in Neom are major growth opportunities for hotel brands. Accor plans to emphasize its lifestyle brands in its growth strategy in Saudi Arabia, Abboud said without disclosing details.

This emphasis on leisure travel in the region has the potential to reverse the nearly two-year decline in hotel development in the Middle East. The Middle East hotel development pipeline was down 12% at the end of the first quarter, the seventh consecutive quarterly decline for the region.

The pandemic and political tensions are the main reasons for the downward trend. But Dubai garnered a lot of interest from travelers during the pandemic due to its open borders, even though doing so put public health at risk.

A new push to attract tourists as the city’s delayed Expo 2020 later this year and Saudi Arabia’s plans for the Red Sea may offset the decline in development.

“[Saudi Arabia is] develop entire smart cities, and they have the means to do it, ”Abboud said. “It’s a big priority for the future.”

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A £ 12million front door project to bring a Tim Hortons and Taco Bell to the old Mansfield bus station is progressing.

The council-backed “Stockwell Gateway” plans of the ARBA group will replace the pre-existing car park which closed permanently in March.

Boarding is now in place around the site as work begins to progress, with ARBA officially taking possession of the site before its redevelopment.

New raffles will include Canadian coffee, Tim Hortons, alongside Mexican-themed Taco Bell, Domino’s Pizza and a 100-bed national brand hotel.

Council documents released ahead of a meeting next week show that Taco Bell has officially partnered with the program, along with the other two outlets.

And city buyers have expressed their views on what the new additions will mean for the city.

Liam Skillen, 22, from Mansfield, told Nottinghamshire Live: “Well, I’m very happy that Tim Hortons is coming to Mansfield.

“I go to the one in Birmingham every time I visit the city. But I wonder if another restaurant is the best option for this space.

“We need more variety in the cities’ retail and hospitality offering if we are to for Mansfield to thrive in the same way as before.

“But I guess it’s a start, it’s just not the answer to the city’s problems.”

“It should bring a lot of jobs, it should bring Mansfield back to life because right now he’s dead,” said a Mansfield resident who gave his full name.

A Birmingham resident in the city, who also did not give his full name, added: “This is going to be of great help to Mansfield.”

And a worker at the Four Seasons Mall, next to the old bus station, added, “That would be great, that’s a good thing.

With major stores, such as Topshop, having closed in the middle of the Four Seasons, and a few rows of stores in the Rosemary Center remaining vacant, it is hoped that new businesses will bring some life and excitement back to the city.

However, there are still hesitations about the projects of the ARBA Group, which are still in progress.

“Everything is closed so I don’t know why they want to come to Mansfield, because but that’s good,” said another downtown resident.

“It will create jobs for the area, but when? At the moment everything is on hold so I don’t really know what it will bring, but I hope it brings a lot of positive to Mansfield.”

Board documents for next week’s wrap-up and review meeting released an update on the status of plans.

The documents state: “The former bus station site was leased to the ARBA group on the basis of a long-term lease and a building permit was granted in November 2020 for the development of a 100-room hotel. , as well as three catering units.

“Over the past few months, preparatory work, utility and heritage surveys have all been undertaken at the site in preparation for the start of development and the end users of the three catering units have been registered. “

Mansfield District Council approved the £ 12million development in November last year.

At this time, it is unclear which national hotel brand will take over the 100-bed facility once it is completed.

Fortress representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moskovits declined to comment.

Fortress claims that Moskovits and 232 Seigel Acquisition LLC defaulted on the construction loan in 2019 after failing to complete construction of the 10-story, 97,245-square-foot hotel on the vacant lot between Bushwick Avenue and White Street, according to court records.

As part of the dismissal of the bankruptcy case, a judge ruled that Heritage Equity would pay off the $ 3 million mezzanine loan and allow Fortress to proceed with foreclosure proceedings, saying that Heritage Equity now owed $ 8.2 million for the default, including late fees and interest, according to court documents.

Heritage Equity, led by Moskovits and its business partner Michael lichtenstein, bought the lot at 232 Seigel Street with 15 other sites nearby for $ 28.5 million in 2015, The real deal reported. He filed plans later that year to build a hotel, designed by Morali Architects, with a gym and a restaurant.

In November 2019, Moskovits sued his original lender, Capital City Bridge, to stop the notices of default and acceleration on the $ 5.25 million loan. Fortress bought the debt in January 2020 and Moskovits filed his case, accusing Fortress of “predatory tactics” and only buying the loans to try to take over the project, TRD reported.

Moskovits then withdrew the lawsuit in July, a source told Commercial Observer.

The development of the Bushwick Hotel is not the only struggling asset for Heritage Equity in recent months. Moskovits is facing a multitude of lawsuits and foreclosures for various projects around Brooklyn, including the fitting out of the offices 215 Moore Street, according to TRD.

And, in February, Heritage Equity filed for bankruptcy on its flagship development, the 147 rooms The Williamsburg Hotel, nearly a year after defaulting on his $ 68 million loan.

WILLEMSTAD – Last week, the General Pension Fund of Curaçao (APC) and the Heritage Plaza Consortium (HPC) held several sessions at the Luna Blou Theater to discuss the development of the Plaza area with various stakeholders, reports APC.

The aim of this week was to bring together as many relevant contributions as possible from experts from various sectors in Curacao and build support for the project. The program follows on from the November 2020 visit, to which the late Hans de Boer was also a part.

Since then, the parties have worked hard to draw up the development plans. The HPC team was reinforced with Jan de Jong (heritage expert), Peter Zwart (social and cultural functions advisor) and Bart Akkerhuis (urban development vision advisor) in order to further refine the plan’s vision.

“The Plaza area must contribute to the quality of life in Punda with an attractive multifunctional program in which housing, catering, culture, education, incubators and recreation have a place,” according to APC.

As part of the initiative phase that APC and HPC are currently in, it was decided not to present a ready-made plan to stakeholders last week, but first to listen and collect information before plans are developed. This approach has been welcomed by stakeholders.

According to APC, it was important for the feasibility study to test the programmatic interpretation, discuss the spatial opportunities and challenges, and see how the Plaza project can also give socio-economic impetus to the rest of Willemstad.

The week started with a walking tour of Punda which focused on the connections between the Plaza area and the rest of the city center, UNESCO World Heritage status and the bustling Punda of the past. On Monday evening, the parties visited the Netherlands Representation.

Tuesday was devoted to culture. Various institutions and entrepreneurs active in the cultural sector were present to discuss local and international opportunities. Wednesday started with a presentation of the future government and was followed by a session in which the developments of a start-up community in Curacao were discussed.

The day ended with a workshop focusing on spatial vision and cultural heritage. Groups consisting of architects, heritage experts, parts of monuments and other interest groups set to work to develop a spatial vision for the Plaza area.

Thursday’s program began with a session with the University of Curaçao where opportunities for an educational function were discussed. In the afternoon, the theme “livability in Punda” was central and various parties active in the hospitality and leisure sectors were invited.

The program ended with a visit to the governor. “We look back on a successful week in which attendees actively participated and provided valuable input for further development of the Plaza area. Great anecdotes about the moments of Cave the Neptune, the opportunities of music and the dance as an interpretation for the cultural program, the importance of housing for quality of life, to concerns about the parking problem in the city center and the current state of the Plaza, ”says APC.

APC and HPC got even more excited after this week to work out the plans together. In the coming period, this week’s data will be processed to arrive at a proposed plan.

APC: “The ambitions are high and the challenges are numerous regarding the redevelopment of the Plaza district, but this project also offers great opportunities. The development of Plaza is more than just a real estate project, it is a catalyst for Punda and Curaçao. . “

Construction of a new £ 39million building in Exeter is quickly taking shape with a new closed connecting bridge between Sandy Park and the Sandy Park Hotel being installed and completed over the weekend.

The massive 40-ton, 27m x 4m structure, which was built locally at Newton Abbot, was lifted by cranes during a seven-hour operation.

The impressive Glass Bridge, designed by Exeter Architects KTA, will be the permanent walkway connecting the Sandy Park conference and banquet center with that of the new 250-room Sandy Park Hotel, which is slated to open at the end of the day. of autumn. of this year.

Construction of the state-of-the-art hotel, which began in January 2020, is progressing as planned and will be the “crown jewel” of Sandy Park’s extensive offering to guests.

Part of the global Courtyard by Marriott brand, the basement of the four-star hotel will house a fitness center, while the reception level will house a cafeteria, restaurant-bistro, business center and conference rooms.

The quaint View Restaurant is described as ‘one of a kind for the region’ and will provide a ‘unique dining experience for guests and visitors’, including two private dining rooms, serving locally caught fish in Brixham, red beef premier choice from Devon, alongside other ‘exquisite’ produce from across the region.

As well as helping generate additional business to the Sandy Park Conference and Banquet Center during the week, the hotel will also be a welcome addition to supporters heading to town for game days involving the Exeter Chiefs. .

Exeter Rugby Club President and CEO Tony Rowe OBE said: “The installation of the link bridge marks another important milestone in the creation of the new Sandy Park Hotel.

“The bridge will provide a perfect and secure link between the hotel and Sandy Park itself, allowing us to create perfect symmetry between the two businesses.

“In what has been a trying time for all of us as a result of the pandemic, the fact that we remain on track for a late fall opening is a testament to all the hard work that has been put in by everyone. who work on site, in particular the DNA team.

The imposing four-star hotel will be eight stories high and in an L-shape. It is claimed to be the “largest commercial hotel on this side of Bristol”.

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