Jason
07-26-2006, 09:04 AM
Hotel plan expected to get city OK
By KATI BEXLEY | More (http://javascript<b></b>:document.searchReporter.submit();) by this reporter | kati.bexley@staugustinerecord.com | Posted: Monday, July 24, 2006 ; Updated: 8:16 AM on Monday, July 24, 2006
After neighbors said they deplored proposed plans for a downtown St. Augustine hotel, owner Kanti Patel changed the design, which is expected to receive final approval today from the City Commission.
The proposed plan has 88 rooms, underground parking with more than 80 spaces and is of Victorian-style architecture, said Patel, president of Jalaram Hotels Inc.
Patel had originally hoped to build a structure to resemble one of St. Augustine's grand hotels from 1885, the San Marco.
Several neighbors attended Planning and Zoning and Historic Architecture Review board meetings to speak against the earlier design. They had concerns about the density and height of the building in a historic preservation zone. Its highest tower was proposed to be 65 feet tall.
Patel listened and amended the plans.
"We put it into five separate buildings that all connect together like the Hilton," Patel said in reference to his hotel built on St. Augustine's bayfront. Residents were initially vehemently against the Hilton, but now applaud the final product.
The highest tower in the building in his proposed hotel is now 54 feet, said project architect Fred Halback. The structure is no longer designed around any specific building, he added.
Patel had to rezone 6 Castillo Drive, the Best Western Spanish Quarter Inn, and 28 San Marco Ave., the former 3-D World, to build the hotel.
Both the Best Western and 3-D World will be demolished.
At city meetings, residents have said they are in favor of the new hotel plans. And Patel's project has received unanimous votes of approval from the Historic Architecture Review Board, planning and zoning, and the City Commission passed it on first reading.
The hotel will go before the City Commission tonight for final approval.
"We're very optimistic about the vote," Halback said. "...we think we've certainly hit the mark."
The City Commission meeting is at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 75 King St.
http://staugustine.com/images/072406/11404_512.jpg
Source: http://staugustine.com/stories/072406/news_072406015.shtml
By KATI BEXLEY | More (http://javascript<b></b>:document.searchReporter.submit();) by this reporter | kati.bexley@staugustinerecord.com | Posted: Monday, July 24, 2006 ; Updated: 8:16 AM on Monday, July 24, 2006
After neighbors said they deplored proposed plans for a downtown St. Augustine hotel, owner Kanti Patel changed the design, which is expected to receive final approval today from the City Commission.
The proposed plan has 88 rooms, underground parking with more than 80 spaces and is of Victorian-style architecture, said Patel, president of Jalaram Hotels Inc.
Patel had originally hoped to build a structure to resemble one of St. Augustine's grand hotels from 1885, the San Marco.
Several neighbors attended Planning and Zoning and Historic Architecture Review board meetings to speak against the earlier design. They had concerns about the density and height of the building in a historic preservation zone. Its highest tower was proposed to be 65 feet tall.
Patel listened and amended the plans.
"We put it into five separate buildings that all connect together like the Hilton," Patel said in reference to his hotel built on St. Augustine's bayfront. Residents were initially vehemently against the Hilton, but now applaud the final product.
The highest tower in the building in his proposed hotel is now 54 feet, said project architect Fred Halback. The structure is no longer designed around any specific building, he added.
Patel had to rezone 6 Castillo Drive, the Best Western Spanish Quarter Inn, and 28 San Marco Ave., the former 3-D World, to build the hotel.
Both the Best Western and 3-D World will be demolished.
At city meetings, residents have said they are in favor of the new hotel plans. And Patel's project has received unanimous votes of approval from the Historic Architecture Review Board, planning and zoning, and the City Commission passed it on first reading.
The hotel will go before the City Commission tonight for final approval.
"We're very optimistic about the vote," Halback said. "...we think we've certainly hit the mark."
The City Commission meeting is at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 75 King St.
http://staugustine.com/images/072406/11404_512.jpg
Source: http://staugustine.com/stories/072406/news_072406015.shtml