Work on Saline hotel construction recently passed another anticipated approval threshold with Best Western corporate for its status to now be officially recognized as “Under Construction.” [1]
Saline Lodging Group took ownership of the property now under development on February 28. Within weeks, serious progress on =construction= was evident to even the most casual observer. It has continued apace ever since. And yet this new, official recognition is news? [2,3,4,5]
“This is a very common milestone,” explained Jim Haeussler, President of Peters Building, general contractor on this project. “Projects are delayed all the time. ‘We’ll have this and that done in three months’ may not actually happen until next year, or the year after that. Sometimes projects are never finished.” Although this may be common knowledge to those affiliated with the city building department or Planning Commission, it’s an important distinction to have here. [6,7,8]
Last week, Saline Journal sat down for an extended discussion with Mr Haeussler and Mark Kuykendall, managing partner for Saline Lodging Group.
In his most recent report to investors, Mr Kuykendall wrote: “We are working closely with Best Western’s lead architect, Matthew Meaney, to assure Best Western standard are met in all phases of the development process — initially for site layout, site work, foundation, and slab construction. Completing the slab and approval of floor plan layouts, mechanicals, electrical, and plumbing plans, moved us to the ‘Under Construction’ point on Best Western’s calendar.”
Additionally, Best Western has approved local selections of Ann Arbor architect J Bradley Moore & Associates and interior development firm Innerspace Design. Saline has also now been assigned a Best Western Brand Development Project Manager, Matt Morelli. This will help Saline work closely with the corporate “design department,” Mark Kuykendall said, to most expeditiously “obtain approvals for the details of the layout of all three floors, the decor of the guest rooms and all public areas, including the restaurant, bar, banquet rooms, fitness room, and pool.” [9,10]
Noticeably absent from the Saline hotel site is a “Coming Soon” or any other sort of signage to indicate what can be anticipated at the 1250 East Michigan Avenue address. Steps are being taken to address that, since Under Construction status has also triggered Saline Lodging Group access to Best Western operational, promotion, and branding use materials.
A higher priority for Mr Kuykendall, however, was to utilize these marketing assets to develop initial handouts for prospects interested in booking Best Western Premier hotel space in Saline around the time of the 2019 Saline Celtic Festival. From that center, he is also actively looking at dates before and after, giving “first consideration to local businesses.” That means both overnight rooms for lodging and banquet spaces. [11]
Perhaps ironically, “Under Construction” recognition has effectively moved the new Saline hotel into a mode of planning for operation and guest services.
References
- Best Western Hotels & Resorts (home page).
- “It’s Official: City, Developers Complete Deal to Build New Saline Hotel” Janet Deaton (March 1, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Progress Report on Saline Hotel: Concrete Work on Footers Started Today” Dell Deaton (April 11, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Today Will Be Remembered As Day Eastgate Saline Skyline Changed Forever, With The Hotel Now In Sight” Dell Deaton (June 26, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Progress Report On Saline Hotel: Take Note Of Visible Transitions Now In Anticipation Of Completion Date” Dell Deaton (September 18, 2018) Saline Journal.
- Peters Building (home page).
- “Building, Engineering, Planning, Zoning & Code Enforcement” Saline.
- “Planning Commission” Saline.
- J Bradley Moore & Associates.
- Innerspace Design (home page).
- Saline Celtic Festival (home page).
