ROCKFORD — Orion Real Estate Solutions has signed a letter of intent with the city of Rockford to build a new boutique hotel downtown on city-owned property at 12 S. Main St.
Plans for the 54-room “Hotel Rose” show a three-story building with rooms and suites on the second and third floors, with an indoor pool, fitness center, banquet room, lobby bar and restaurant occupying the ground floor. The developer plans to include parking for the facility, which will feature a large front porch.
“Our team has researched and experienced some of the finest boutique hotels in the world. This is a one-of-a-kind concept influenced by those experiences,” ORES President John Wheeler said in a statement.
The .42-acre property, which is currently used as surface parking, was the former site of the Northland Pontiac dealership. The city issued a request for proposals to redevelop the site on March 1, with only Orion Real Estate Solutions responding.
Under terms of the deal approved by the Rockford City Council last month, ORES plans to buy the property from the city for $450,000 after conducting due diligence on the project. The developer has until Feb. 1, 2020 to move forward with the plans.
Grand Rapids-based Orion Construction Co. Inc. will serve as the general contractor on the project, with Ghafari Associates Inc./Concept Design as the architect. The Amway Corp.-owned AHC+Hospitality, which operates several properties in downtown Grand Rapids, has been named hotel manager.
“Hotel Rose will undoubtedly add to the unique character of downtown Rockford,” Michael Lubbers, Ghafari’s director of design, said in a statement. “The design complements the upscale pedestrian tradition of the existing streetscape. Incorporating contextual detail of its neighboring structures, the appearance is a nod to the natural small-town charm.”
The developer expects the project to begin in 2020 and open the hotel in fall or winter of 2021. ORES estimates it will create 80 jobs in the hospitality, management and restaurant industries.
The city of Rockford, Ghafari and Orion Real Estate Solution also funded a parking study to evaluate the location and scope for a parking deck in downtown Rockford. A separate project, results from the study will be shared with the public upon finalizing design and location.