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Construction begins on Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Louisville

City Properties Group and First Hospitality Group announced Thursday they have started construction on a new Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Louisville. Mayor Greg Fischer and Councilman David Tandy joined the developers in breaking ground on the new hotel at the corner of 4th and Chestnut Streets downtown.

Adjacent to the historic Henry Clay building, the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown at Clay Commons will add 162 guest rooms to the popular Clay Commons district. Designed as an eight-story, 121,700-s.f. building, the new hotel will feature an open-air rooftop restaurant and bar with unique food and beverage concepts. Construction of the new hotel will occur over a 13-month period with the grand opening planned for October 2014.

“This new hotel will be a welcome addition to the overall hotel accommodations we offer downtown visitors and specifically a great complement to the growing arts and entertainment scene in that mid-section area of South Fourth,” Fischer said. “This project adds to the momentum as we focus on the entire stretch of Fourth St. from the river to Iroquois Park to maximize the investment, the jobs, the retail, educational and cultural opportunities along that critical corridor.”

The Clay Commons district, developed around the renovated Henry Clay Building on 3rd Street and the Wright-Taylor Building and Guthrie-Coke Lofts on 4th Street, provides a unique urban experience at the heart of the Theater and Arts District on the southern edge of downtown Louisville. These properties offer residential units, a theater for live performances, restaurants, and catered event spaces with grand ballrooms and meeting rooms restored to their original stunning beauty.

The Hilton Garden Inn Downtown at Clay Commons, in combination with the Henry Clay, is envisioned as a mini-convention center, connecting support services and overnight room rentals with the event and meeting spaces already in use. Events such as weddings and conferences would be supported by the adjoining hotel, as would the over 275 events and theatre performances currently held at the Henry Clay each year.

The undeveloped property at 4th and Chestnut streets fills out the block. The Hilton Garden Inn Downtown at Clay Commons will complete the corner presence. This prime location is currently underutilized for the Downtown Louisville market. Approximately 300 employees will be engaged by the general contractor and its subcontractors over the course of construction. Once stabilized the hotel will employ more than 40 full-time team members and support staff. The hotel will front the existing PARC parking garage built mid-block, which will provide ample parking to support the 162 guest rooms and 14,000 square foot rooftop restaurant and bar.

“We are very excited about this project as it will be a great blend of a contemporary and hi-tech hotel with the classic style and history of the Henry Clay, capped off with a very cool roof top bar which will fit in well with the 4th Street vibe,” said Stephen Schwartz, CEO of First Hospitality Group, Inc. “It will be a very unique and a special place to stay and play in downtown Louisville.”

The Hilton Garden Inn Downtown at Clay Commons is a joint venture between City Properties Group, LLC of Louisville, KY and First Hospitality Group, Inc. of Chicago, IL. In addition to being part of the development team, First Hospitality Group will also be the hotel’s operator.

“I am excited about the opportunity to work with Stephen Schwartz and First Hospitality Group, Inc. because of their focus throughout the Midwest on high impact urban hotel projects,” commented Bill Weyland, Managing Director of City Properties Group. “The insights and professionalism that they bring to the team make this an exciting project for all of our employees and investors.”

Sabak, Wilson, & Lingo, Inc., THP Limited, Inc., and Kerr-Greulich Engineers, Inc. provided engineering consultation. CityWorks, PLLC, Luckett & Farley, and Concentrics Restaurants provided interior design services. BosseMattingly Constructors is serving as the general contractor on the project.

Project financing has been provided by Associated Bank.

First Hospitality Group, Inc., is a national, experienced, and established hospitality management, and development company serving the investment and real estate industries. Since 1985, FHG has been an award-winning pioneer in the hospitality industry. FHG has successfully developed, marketed and managed over 16 brands and 50 properties throughout the Midwest. Visit www.fhginc.com.

City Properties Group is a multi-disciplinary real estate development firm known for creating unique mixed-use properties in Louisville’s downtown, incorporating residential, commercial, retail, and entertainment uses. Our in-house staff includes representatives from architecture, urban planning, preservation, asset management, property management, marketing, event production, construction coordination, and commercial and residential real estate. Each of these disciplines support the vision of creating and maintaining new urban neighborhoods by preserving Louisville’s unique heritage and creating new urban places.

About Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn is the award-winning, upscale, yet affordable hotel brand that continually strives to ensure today’s busy travelers have everything they need to be most productive on the road — from our oh-so-comfortable Garden Sleep System® bed to complimentary wired and Wi-Fi Internet access in all guestrooms. So whether on the road for personal or business reasons, Hilton Garden Inn offers the amenities and services for travelers to sleep deep, stay fit, eat well and work smart while away from home. For more information about our locations around the globe, visitwww.hgi.com or www.news.hgi.com.