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Posted on Wed, Jan 5, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.

Chicago-area developer unveils plans for Ann Arbor hotel at 202 S. Division

By Paula Gardner

First Hospitality Group unveiled initial plans for a new hotel in downtown Ann Arbor at a public meeting Wednesday night, showing designs for a 9-story building at the southwest corner of East Washington and South Division streets.

The proposal - likely to head into the city's Planning Department later this month - calls for 104 rooms in what the developers called a "boutique hotel."

Thumbnail image for metro202.jpg

The property at 202 S. Division where First Hospitality Group wants to build a 104-room hotel.

"We’re convinced that a nationally franchised hotel .... is going to add value to the continued development of downtown," said Bob Habeeb, president and CEO of First Hospitality.

About 30 people attended the presentation in the 3rd floor of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, asking questions about issues like parking, the building's potential effects on neighboring properties and the market need for a hotel downtown.

Habeeb and Ira Ury, the project director for First Hospitality, underscored the company's presence in Ann Arbor as long-time owner of the Hampton Inn on Green Road and its corporate track record as a company that owns and operates major national franchises among its 40 Midwest hotel properties.

The project they'll propose for 202 S. Division will be LEED-certified and operated under a national brand, they said.

Preliminary renderings displayed at the meeting showed a building extending to the lot line along South Division, with street-level windows and a center entry area. There are 5 feet between the west side of the building and the west lot line, separating the parcel from nearby homes.

The plans also will incorporate an outdoor plaza at the northeast corner of the property, with visibility from both Division and Washington streets.

Several audience members raised questions about the design of the building and how it will fit into the city approval process, since City Council expects to make a decision on downtown design guidelines later this month.

"It has no character," said Herb David, downtown business owner.

The lack of windows and defining design on the north and south elevations were among the concerns, which Ury said he'd take back to architects. But both he and Habeeb noted that the rectangular nature of a guest room - and the expectations of guests for where they'll find windows - could prohibit changes.

Ray Detter, a member of dowtown's Citizens Advisory Committee, asked for more detailed renderings so that the public could get a better sense of the building's design and its impact on nearby properties.

"If we see more, maybe we could support it more," Detter said.

Others in the audience raised questions about parking, which will not be offered on-site.

Ury said the plan was to offer options for guests similar to what they'd find in large cities: Off-site parking at Liberty Square and possibly valets.

He also answered questions about the potential for the Division Street hotel entrance to clog the downtown artery, saying a mandatory traffic study should help measure the impact. So far, he said, the development team hasn't been told it's a city concern.

"Hotel parking really is a nighttime event," Ury said.

The company is not looking at mixed uses for the site - like retail or restaurant space - despite the urging of Roger Pothus, owner of Renaissance Clothing in McKinley Towne Centre across South Division from the property.

Ury and Habeeb also discussed some of the financial aspects of the hotel, without getting into projections for occupancy or details on costs and financing.

"Speculators tend to look at the community for underwriting," Habeeb said. "We will be financing this project by putting up a significant piece of equity.

"... We clearly believe the hotel wil be successful, because we're not playing with other people's money, we're playing with our own."

The presence of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the hotel traffic it generates is a big part of the reason the hotel should be viable, the pair said.

The company's experience in Ann Arbor also gives it familiarity with the market and its needs, they said. While outlying hotels could be affected by construction, building in Ann Arbor's downtown fits a national trend of customers seeking out downtown accommodations instead of outskirt hotels.

"We’re not a stranger to Ann Arbor," Ury said. "We've owned and operated here for a long, long time."

Paula Gardner is Business News Director of AnnArbor.com. Contact her at 734-623-2586 or by email. Sign up for the weekly Business Review newsletter, distributed every Thursday, here.

Comments

LiberalNIMBY

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : 2:27 p.m.

No windows on half the building? No stores or restaurants on the first floor? That'll be just about as fun to walk by as what's there now. Seriously, I don't really believe anyone prefers crappy parking lots instead of buildings, but listen to your damn neighbors and don't put up an eyesore, please.

Andy

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : 12:15 p.m.

People who need parking can either pay to use one of the many downtown structures or stay out near Briarwood or Green Road. What about that is so hard to understand?

MyOpinion

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : 9:16 a.m.

@Matthew With regards to the hotel, if Ury and Habeeb didn't believe this project would be successful, they wouldn't build it. They aren't holding the bag if/when it fails. They are just setting up the project and will collect their fee up front. That said, I don't mind the idea of this hotel. I bet the folks setting up the conference center/hotel on the library lot are panicking. There is no way the city can absorb two new large hotels with a block or so of each other. Here is a recent article from the NY Times, which indicates that projects don't have to succeed for a developer to make money. Developers set things up and are long gone if/when the project goes belly up. And, spectacular failures by a developer are often forgotten when he comes up with another scheme: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/02/realestate/02developers.htm

b master b

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : 8:58 a.m.

Paula, can you please try to get and post a rendering?

rusty shackelford

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : 8:14 a.m.

"Ann Arbor is not a large city. Ann Arbor does not have off-site parking on nearly every block." Um... have you ever BEEN downtown? At least a third of the real estate is taken up by parking lots. No reason the hotel can't work out some deal with one of the lots where they validate overnight parking or something. Jeez, people in this town will grasp at any straw sometimes to prevent new investment.

jmac

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : 8:04 a.m.

These plans should not be approved unless on-site parking is offered. Those of us who live here have to jump through hoops to find decent parking downtown, why make out-of-towners do the same? And who want to tote luggage 2-3 blocks from some parking place to the hotel???

Matthew

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : 8:03 a.m.

"There's 5 feet between the west side of the building and the west lot line..." "...since City Council expects to made a decision on downtown design guidelines later this month." There must have been a rush to get this story ready for this morning's paper. With regards to the hotel, if Ury and Habeeb didn't believe this project would be successful, they wouldn't build it.

JudithS

Thu, Jan 6, 2011 : midnight

I feel bad for the people occupying the gray house next door. Ann Arbor news writer Jeff Mortimer used to live there with his son, and while it's a great location, it won't be so much when your eastern view, especially the SUN are blocked!

elligur

Wed, Jan 5, 2011 : 11:20 p.m.

@Tom Joad - you really think that Ann Arbor is dying? How do you arrive at that conclusion?

Tom Joad

Wed, Jan 5, 2011 : 10:51 p.m.

Another boondoggle project for a moribund city.

rsa221

Wed, Jan 5, 2011 : 10:07 p.m.

"building in Ann Arbor's downtown fits a national trend of customers seeking out downtown accommodations instead of outskirt hotels." I totally agree! More downtown density makes Ann Arbor even more attractive, at least to me and people I know in my age demographic (early 30s), many of whom leave Michigan for cities that offer density. I love the co-op, but another grocery store (Trader Joe's) within walking distance would also be fantastic.

Somewhat Concerned

Wed, Jan 5, 2011 : 9:49 p.m.

From the story: "Others in the audience raised questions about parking, which will not be offered on-site. Ury said the plan was to offer options for guests similar to what they'd find in large cities: Off-site parking and possibly valets." Ann Arbor is not a large city. Ann Arbor does not have off-site parking on nearly every block. This is not a big city hotel. It is a 104-room hotel in Ann Arbor. I get it that they don't want to have to put their own money into building parking for their guests.