A plan for a new hotel near the Capitol Square is the latest proposal to substantially expand the number of rooms for rent in the downtown area, a trend officials hope will spark a growth in tourism and business.
The Alexander Co. announced plans to develop a hotel on a recently purchased property at 202 E. Washington Ave., according to Ald. Ledell Zellers, District 2. The developers hope the hotel will attract people with business downtown, she said.
The current proposal is for a 10-story hotel with 150 rooms, as well as a possible restaurant on the corner of North Webster Street, according to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4. The proposal is a response to the downtown hotel market planners say could use additional rooms, he said.
With the current renovation of the Edgewater Hotel and the construction of a new Hampton Inn and Suites, the city will be gaining many new places for visitors to stay over the next few years, Verveer said.
“It’s a great place for a hotel,” Zellers said. “It’s a fantastic location for visitors to the city.”
Zellers said the close proximity to the Capitol building, State Street and the Dane County Farmer’s Market will be good selling points for the new hotel.
Verveer added the hotel will be a good building for business travelers and conferences held in the area.
Currently, the only hotel on the square is the Inn on the Park, located at 22 S. Carroll St.
“The Alexander Co. has a lot of experience and they have done their homework,” Verveer said. “They obviously believe the downtown hotel market has room for this.”
The proposed hotel is another way the city is working to reshape and revitalize East Washington Ave., Zellers said. It also complies with the city’s Downtown Plan, she added.
Verveer said the hotel is an example of the growing pace of downtown development in the city. The past few years have seen a record amount of downtown development, he said.
“There are a lot of development prospects on the horizon,” Zellers said. “It will be an interesting next few years.”
A neighborhood meeting is scheduled for May 14 to discuss the designs for the hotel, Zellers said.
