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Downtown Days Inn Sold


Prankster

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Not quite that simple. There are different growth rates and demographic makeups, even amongst similar sized metros. Raleigh metro is similarly sized as GR, but their growth rate over the last decade is 3x ours, and they have a much higher percentage of college graduates (something like 44% to our 25%). But in essence, you could look at these cities with similar growth rates (16-20% over the last decade, and around 1 million pop. like GR MSA):

Jacksonville, FL

Memphis, TN

Greensboro-WinstonSalem-Highpoint, NC

Columbus, OH

Salt Lake City, UT

Oklahoma City, OK

Memphis for instance has over $1 Billion in new healthcare developments going in, like GR.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=25197

What are some of your predictions GR8-town?

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Here's some sketchup files of the Days Inn as what I think it should look like after its renovation. I threw in the mention 16 story high-rise as an addition off the back of the existing building. I could have gone full tilt and did some ultra flashy architecture complete with GRDad's water park. But as mention by the buyer, he's planning to aim the hotel to folks that cannot afford the shic Alticor hotels across the river, thus what ever is to be done with the Days Inn will have to be very budget minded to keep room prices on par with Days Inn's current prices. Thus the existing building would get an exterior reskin and need interior updating while the 16 story high rise, most likely build as a later phase a year or two after the renovation, would be a copy of the existing building only doubled the height and containing higher end suites and more amenities.

I would estimate the renovation of the existing building to cost about 3-4 million dollars. While the 16 story high rise addition would cost about 40-50 million dollars.

North East View

daysinnrt6.jpg

South East View

daysinn2ls4.jpg

North West Veiw

daysinn3wb7.jpg

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Unfortunately, the mass produced Mchotel is what we will probably get. once the renovation is done. Remember, the Days Inn will not be JW Marriott or the Amway Grand Plazza when all is said and done with. This hotel will most likely continue to cater to the same people that stay at the Days Inn now which require halfway decent rooms and facilities at a budget friendly prices. The 16 story tower might step things up a level judging by the mentioning of "Suites". But even the tower won't be the hotels across the river. This in mind, I'm not expecting some advant guard architecture from Skidmore & Owings or David Fairchild. The Days Inn will be exactly like the Hotels found by Airports, but atleast it will look alot better than what's their now.

However, I could very well be wrong in my prediction of what will happen to the Days Inn faculity. So I will pose this challange to any UPer here. Find photographs of budget and midrange hotels such such Confort Inn, La Quinta, Days Inn, etc. that breaks the trend of the "Mchotel by the Airport" look. Do that and I'll open my artistic flood gates and ratchet up the architectural chicness of my Sketchup Files.

No, actually its the architecture. The styling is like almost any mass produced McHotel that pop up within a couple miles of airports all over the country. The facade lacks the depth (relief) that gives so much character to the old buildings sround town that everyone loves.

I'd rotate you new tower 90 degrees so that the views are up and down the river, rather than having half of the rooms collecting all that noise from the highway. Also, rotating the tower the tower would give it a thinner profile and not block views of the skyline as much for those driving on 131.

GrDad, my comment about the hilarity of downtown waterpark was not because I have any knowledge of the project. I was just picturing driving past there, looking out the window, and seeing this mass of colorful slides coming out of the building and looping around. Just seemed funny to me.

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Almost anything would be a big improvement over the boxy Days Inn on the site now. The water park idea is an interesting one. The Hilton in Milwaukee (originally the Schroeder) has seen some success with their attached water park. I think this could work- and not necessarily with the usual sort of water park-suburban hotel. Please keep us posted on developments.

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^ I think it would be possible to increase the height of the building but doing the needed structural upgrades to suport the additional weight of the extra floors would cause too much disturbance to the hotel which is to stay open and operational during the renovation. A simple exterior reclading and interior design upgrades to the existing building with the 16 story tower being built as an addition would cuase the least amount of disturbances.

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^ I think it would be possible to increase the height of the building but doing the needed structural upgrades to suport the additional weight of the extra floors would cause too much disturbance to the hotel which is to stay open and operational during the renovation. A simple exterior reclading and interior design upgrades to the existing building with the 16 story tower being built as an addition would cuase the least amount of disturbances.
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"Built 'on the site' of the current hotel" seems to incline complete demolishion of the existing facility to make way for somthing completly new. Be that the case, I have a blank canvas to play with. I also like the idea of replacing the Ford Museum's Peal St. Parking Lot with a fountian. I will assume the Day's Inn parking structure would be replaced by a taller parking structure to make up for the parking lost.

More Sketchup time. :D

"All suites" hotels also tend to be a bit more of a "box" shape, I've noticed. Probably because of the layout of the rooms, which are deeper and wider than a standard budget hotel room (I'm guessing from experience staying in them).

http://images.google.com/images?q=downtown...tart=0&sa=N

Chris alluded to the fact that something might be built "on the site" of the current hotel. I think he knows more than he is letting on, probably because he went "off the record" with the developer. Despite the fact that it's his blog, he still has to maintain confidentiality with his sources.

It would be great to see the current hotel built out to Pearl. It would also be nice to see the Ford Museum do something with that parking lot on Pearl that is a little more fitting for the museum. Perhaps a long fountain, similar to the reflecting pool at the National Mall in D.C. (obviously much smaller) lined with beds of rose gardens.

Then they could move the parking to the other side of the building so people could walk past the gravesite coming from the parking lot.

348134694_b582e70825_o.jpg

Now that to me says "Welcome to Grand Rapids". And think of the views of downtown, RiverHouse and of the museum gardens/fountain from the hotel. :w00t:

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I agree that if anything, they need to do something with suburban feeling front parking area. Build something out to Pearl. Maybe make a more inviting entrance a turnaround where the current building is.

I read it as improvements to update the current building, a 16 story suite tower in the future. I think this would mean to separate structures. Otherwise, why would they update the existing facility?

Joe

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Perhaps the existing Days Inn was "overbuilt" in order to support more floors. Otherwise who knows what they'll do. I'm pretty sure they won't be demolishing the existing hotel and "on the site" probably just means on that lot. Why would you buy a hotel just to tear it down to build a new one when there's plenty of empty surface lots to be had around town?

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Unfortunately, the mass produced Mchotel is what we will probably get. once the renovation is done. Remember, the Days Inn will not be JW Marriott or the Amway Grand Plazza when all is said and done with. This hotel will most likely continue to cater to the same people that stay at the Days Inn now which require halfway decent rooms and facilities at a budget friendly prices. The 16 story tower might step things up a level judging by the mentioning of "Suites". But even the tower won't be the hotels across the river. This in mind, I'm not expecting some advant guard architecture from Skidmore & Owings or David Fairchild. The Days Inn will be exactly like the Hotels found by Airports, but atleast it will look alot better than what's their now.

However, I could very well be wrong in my prediction of what will happen to the Days Inn faculity. So I will pose this challange to any UPer here. Find photographs of budget and midrange hotels such such Confort Inn, La Quinta, Days Inn, etc. that breaks the trend of the "Mchotel by the Airport" look. Do that and I'll open my artistic flood gates and ratchet up the architectural chicness of my Sketchup Files.

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from reading the article in the press, I was left with the impression that they would start with a remodel and then possibly add an all-suits tower up to 16 stories and change the name. I hope this does happen but they are going to keep their market nitch with being the most affordable hotel downtown. Anything would be a step up as for the exterior, but I hope the new addition is designed well so it doesent "block" much of the skyline and doesnt look "cheap". It would also be nice to bring in a brand thats not in GR right now like a Clarion, Drury inn, or Lees inn

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"All suites" hotels also tend to be a bit more of a "box" shape, I've noticed. Probably because of the layout of the rooms, which are deeper and wider than a standard budget hotel room (I'm guessing from experience staying in them).

http://images.google.com/images?q=downtown...tart=0&sa=N

Chris alluded to the fact that something might be built "on the site" of the current hotel. I think he knows more than he is letting on, probably because he went "off the record" with the developer. Despite the fact that it's his blog, he still has to maintain confidentiality with his sources.

It would be great to see the current hotel built out to Pearl. It would also be nice to see the Ford Museum do something with that parking lot on Pearl that is a little more fitting for the museum. Perhaps a long fountain, similar to the reflecting pool at the National Mall in D.C. (obviously much smaller) lined with beds of rose gardens.

Then they could move the parking to the other side of the building so people could walk past the gravesite coming from the parking lot.

Now that to me says "Welcome to Grand Rapids". And think of the views of downtown, RiverHouse and of the museum gardens/fountain from the hotel. :w00t:

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Back on topic, what are the going rates for hotels downtown right now? My friend's have stayed at the Amway for only $100 when they visited me. Though that's not their standard rate, I think they got a deal with their AAA card and it being an slow night.

I ask because it seems like a downtown hotel probably couldn't be much cheaper than $100/night and still turn a profit. Remodeling and a potential addition won't be cheap either and will certainly affect the short-term profitability of the hotel. And if the Amway isn't that much expensive where is the niche? Are the new owners thinking more long term and willing to take a short-term loss? Has the convention center increased business to the level where the remodel will pay for itself quickly?

From my observations it looks like the convention center has made a noticeable impact on the Amway. At least it looks that way with all the traffic jams at their entrance that I've never noticed before.

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