New Hotels

[richyb83]

 

Looking at the picture again, that hotel seems to be pretty slim isifhey'll still have that little space between it and the brown building beside it.

Yes indeed...this new hotel should be sleek &  fit tightly into that space...crazy to think  135 rooms will fit into that...you'd think it be 10-12 floors instead of 8

Edited November 1, 2015 by richyb83

[cajun]

I would like to see them give tax breaks for small businesses. Get more and more of the storefronts filled with local business would be best. 

In my experience, the moment you give tax breaks for business to open in a specific area, landlords start gouging their tenants and undermining the goal of the tax breaks in the first place.  TIF at least means construction or rennovation of somes, which means you likely already have an extended lease on a property or own it outright.

At this point for downtown BR, I think it would be wise to back off the TIFs a little bit or state clearly in a very public way an end date or phase out plan for them.   The unpredictability of a governing body in allowing TIFs keeps property values from climbing beyond market rates....but on the other hand, the lack of clear cut rules or availability timelines for TIFs in Baton Rouge could mean that one company gets a TIF for their investment and another equally deserving company does not.   That's also an opening for corruption as you seem to notice (I know you were being facetious with your "paid in cash" comment) when each case is entirely up to the discretion of the governing body.

Edited November 13, 2015 by cajun

[richyb83]

Renovations going on at the future Watermark Hotel on Third @ Convention Street; from early last week...thought BR's Original Skyscraper from the 20's might make for a nice residential broject like the Commerce Bldg & 440 on Third a few blocks away

Edited December 6, 2015 by richyb83

[Mr. Burnham]

On 12/5/2015, 10:28:52, richyb83 said:

Renovations going on at the future Watermark Hotel on Third @ Convention Street; from early last week...thought BR's Original Skyscraper from the 20's might make for a nice residential broject like the Commerce Bldg & 440 on Third a few blocks away

You can tell that have the new windows in...any completion date set? I'm thinking they should be opening Summer 2016 given the state of the building.

[greg225]

Flurry of hotel activity in 2015 added inventory, competition to the Baton Rouge market                

For the Baton Rouge hotel industry, 2015 was a busy year, with several properties changing hands, several new projects being announced and some 300 new rooms adding inventory to the market.

For existing hotels, all that activity translated into increased competition and, in some cases, investments in upgrading older properties.

“Competition is up, for sure,” says Gary Jupiter, manager of the Doubletree Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Lodging Association’s vice president of development. “But it has caused a lot of owners to refresh their hotels and renovate them to keep people coming to the market.”

The year was marked by the sale of several major hotels. In April, a New York-based investment company and a Natchitoches hotel management firm purchased the iconic Baton Rouge Marriott off Interstate 10 for $21.8 million.

Not long after, a New York investment firm paid $38.4 million for four Baton Rouge hotels as part of a larger acquisition of 10 properties. Among the local hotels to change hands in the deal were the DoubleTree on Constitution Avenue, the Fairfield Inn and Suites and Springhill Suites, both on Essen Lane, and the TownePlace Suites on Summa Avenue.

Several new hotel projects were either announced or began construction this year, including the Watermark and the Courtyard Marriott, both downtown, as well as the Home 2 Suites on Siegen Lane and the Candlewood Suites on Bankers Avenue. All will open in 2016, except the Courtyard Marriott, which is scheduled for completion in 2017.

Also in 2015, at least two new hotels opened for business, most notably the Holiday Inn Express downtown. Together, they added some 300 rooms to the market, increasing inventory about 2% to 11,600.

Can the market absorb it all?

“That remains to be seen,” Jupiter says. “We’re all watching very closely.

Still, Jupiter says the industry is strong and he shares an optimism of many in the industry that sufficient demand exists for the new supply that is or soon will be coming to the market.

“I’m pretty confident we’ll be able to absorb it all,” he says. “The new rooms will give us the ability to market the city in new ways to more convention groups.”

Year-end occupancy and average daily room rates were not available prior to Daily Report’s deadline.    https://www.businessreport.com/article/flurry-hotel-activity-2015-added-inventory-competition-baton-rouge-market

 

[cajun]

On 10/31/2015 at 1:41 PM, Antrell Williams said:

I would like to see them give tax breaks for small businesses. Get more and more of the storefronts filled with local business would be best. 

I've seen some success in drawing more foot traffic and outside visitors by public investment in small to medium size parking decks.   It takes away that concern for small businesses that can't afford their own parking lot, which aren't really ideal for downtown anyways.  It can be done correctly in discrete, surface parking locations that aren't really suitable for large development, and they can be built to handle upward expansions later if demand increases (which would be a great thing).   

I think such an investment in the Florida/6th or Florida/7th area would help improve the desirability of commercial spaces for smaller businesses (like street level retail) on the east side of downtown, which thus far hasn't seen the interest from developers as those blocks west of 5th.    See the Overton Square area in Memphis for a good example of what a parking deck can do to improve the viability and access of smaller businesses where there are parking constraints.   Smaller hotels often pay to have space allocated for their guests as well.

I'm not knocking a business that's been in Baton Rouge for decades....but a Firestone service center, drive up ATM, or shared valet service can easily be housed on ground levels of a parking deck.   It would be a more efficient use of space.

Edited January 4, 2016 by cajun

[greg225]

South Carolina firm pays $2.25M for downtown Baton Rouge land on which Courtyard Marriott hotel will be built               

South Carolina-based Windsor Aughtry Hotel Group has paid $2.25 million to Gordon Leblanc Jr. and Moffett Leblanc Strain for land at Florida and Third streets downtown on which the company is developing a Courtyard Marriott hotel.

In separate land deals filed today, Windsor Aughtry purchased the land as Istrouma Hospitality LLC. Sales documents indicate the two purchases include just less than three-quarters of an acre total.

While Leblanc and Strain have sold the land to Windsor Aughtry, they are also investing in the hotel. Windsor Aughtry got approval in late October from the Metro Council for a two-cent tax increment financing deal for the $22 million hotel, which is expected to generate an estimated $700,000 per year in city-parish tax revenues, $100,000 of which will be rebated back to the developers. The Metro Council had previously rejected the TIF deal.

Windsor Aughtry plans to put the construction request for bids out by the end of the month and break ground in March. The hotel is expected to open in 2017. As previously reported, a Starbucks will anchor the hotel’s 1,425-square-foot ground-floor retail space, which will have an outdoor seating area and access from both streets.    https://www.businessreport.com/article/south-carolina-firm-pays-2-25m-downtown-baton-rouge-land-courtyard-marriott-hotel-will-built

[greg225]

Increased occupancy, average room rates made 2015 ‘a really good year’ for Baton Rouge hotels     

Hotel occupancy for the first 11 months of 2015 increased just slightly over the same period in 2014. But the upper tier properties in the market—which includes most of the downtown hotels, all of the full service hotels and some limited service hotels—showed a more significant growth, which is noteworthy considering inventory increased last year by some 300 rooms, or about 2%.

“Based on the data through November, Baton Rouge had a really good year,” says Ralph Ney, manager of the Baton Rouge Marriott and past president of the Baton Rouge Lodging Association. “Considering we didn’t have anything major in town, except for Bayou Country Superfest with the Taylor Swift concert and some pretty good football games, it was just a normal year.”

Ney says occupancy rates for the first 11 months of 2015 increased 1.7% over 2014 to 65%. Of the 19 upper tier hotels, however, occupancy increased 3% to nearly 69%.

During the same period, the average daily room rate marketwide increased nearly 2% to $85.94. But among the upper tier hotels, ADR increased more than 3.6% to $155.54.

Perhaps most significantly, the metric that measures how well hotels are doing—the revpar, or revenue per available room—increased 3.5% market wide to $56 during the first 11 months of 2015, and jumped nearly 7% to more than $79 among the market’s 19 higher end hotels.

A revpar of around $80 is considered extremely healthy.

“It was a positive year for most hotels here in Baton Rouge,” says Gary Jupiter, general manager of the Doubletree Baton Rouge, which, like the Marriott, is among the upper tier of properties in the market. “We exceeded projections. I know others did, too.”

Jupiter and Ney say they are closely eyeing the new competition. Several more hotels are expected to open in 2016 and 2017, adding still more inventory to the market.

Can the market absorb it all?

“We’re all watching very closely,” Jupiter says.

Visit Baton Rouge declines to comment on the data until year-end figures including the month of December are released later this month.

Ney says December was a slow month for the market and will likely pull down the marketwide average just slightly.  https://www.businessreport.com/article/increased-occupancy-average-room-rates-made-2015-really-good-year-baton-rouge-hotels

[richyb83]

Wondered if i should put this pic in old EBRATS(renovation) thread...though didn't think  it wasn't the best use for the building given it's location next to new Courthouse...they did a nice job...& and kept the retro Clock too

pardon for taking pic thru windshield

Edited June 17, 2016 by richyb83

[cajun]

On 6/16/2016 at 11:17 PM, richyb83 said:

Wondered if i should put this pic in old EBRATS(renovation) thread...though didn't think  it wasn't the best use for the building given it's location next to new Courthouse...they did a nice job...& and kept the retro Clock too

pardon for taking pic thru windshield

That renno came out better than I expected.  I like the lighting.

[richyb83]

Construction on downtown Courtyard Marriott to begin as downtown Marriott Autograph opens

Construction is slated to begin next month on the 135-room Courtyard Marriott at the intersection of Florida and Third streets downtown. The exact groundbreaking date has not yet been set.

Developer Windsor Aughtry Hotel Group, of South Carolina, has notified those who have monthly parking contracts for the surface lot on the site of the planned hotel that parking will no longer be available as of July 31 in preparation for the start of construction.

“Windsor Aughtry is planning to close with the lender in the next two or three weeks, and the construction should begin in August,” says Gordon “Skeet” Leblanc, who, with his family members, owned the parking lot and is now a part owner of the hotel project.

Construction on the Courtyard Marriott is running slightly behind schedule. Earlier this year, Windsor Aughtry officials said they hoped to break ground in late May or early June so that the hotel would be ready in time for the fall 2017 football season.

Though the opening has now been pushed back to late 2017, Leblanc says the hotel will be poised to take advantage of several big winter events—namely, the Louisiana Marathon, which is held in January, and Mardi Gras, which will be in mid-February in 2018.

Earlier this year, Windsor Aughtry officials said an increase in construction costs over the past year had driven up the price tag of the project nearly 10%, from $22 million to some $24 million.

The Courtyard is one of two Marriott hotels planned for downtown. Developer Mike Wampold’s Marriott Autograph hotel, which will be called The Watermark, is scheduled to open later this summer. The 146-room upscale hotel will be located at 150 Third St., just one block from the Courtyard Marriott.

—Stephanie Riegel

https://www.businessreport.com/article/construction-downtown-courtyard-marriott-begin-downtown-marriott-autograph-opens

The Watermark

[cajun]

https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/btrak-watermark-baton-rouge-autograph-collection/

Marriott's Autograph property downtown now has a listing on their website.   The interior photos of The Watermark look VERY nice. 

Currently in the downtown market:   

• Mariott has the new Courtyard (2017) and the Watermark Hotel (Sept 2016) - a huge move into downtown's growing hotel market.
• HLT has both The Hilton Hotel and the Hampton Inn. 
• IHG has The Indigo Hotel and Holiday Inn, also both open.  
• Choice Hotels has nothing but they mostly suck anyways.   No loss there.
• Starwood has nothing since The Belle went independent.  No W Hotel.  No Westin.  No Sheraton.  No aLoft.  No Four Points.   

I'd guess that either Crown Plaza (IHG) or Double Tree (HLT) would be the next major flags we see downtown.   They both typically prefer new ground up, modern hotels so I doubt they make a move without getting a really good spot on Lafayette or 4th streets.    That may take a while.

Starwood and Mariott are technically merging, so I'd guess that it's unlikely Baton Rouge sees any new Starwood brand unless IHG or HLT makes another move downtown that needs to be countered.    I don't think that will happen in a big way unless more convention space turns up downtown.   The next mayor needs to try to expand the convention center and aggressively pursue a larger 300+ room hotel attached to the space.   Something like a Shereton, Crown, or Double Tree.  

Occupancy rates are apparently very strong as it is.    State government, conventions, LSU, IBM, Cap One, Chase, Regions, etc. all draw a reliable, steady business crowds.   Superfest, football, baseball, marathons, and (sadly) hurricane evacuations are also responsible for very lucrative spikes in hotel occupancy downtown at times.    I think most visitors from out of town enjoy being able to walk around without requiring a car, which really can only be done downtown.

 

Edited July 12, 2016 by cajun

[dan326]

Neat breakdown! Maybe we'll get an aLoft?

[richyb83]

It's always been interesting subject...how do they decide HOW MANY ROOMS belong in an entire city(not just downtown)...how much is too much?  For BR already reaching/surpassing the 1,000-room threshold downtown they(leaders) decided on..may have missed out on the opportunity for a legit 300+ convention center hotel....i had been hoping they'd build a high-rise-hotel tower on top of parking garage...a Westin would be nice!

Didn't even realize the Belle of BR hotel was actually a Tropicana property.

Was disappointed when aLoft didn't get built over 10 years ago I-10/College Drive

Choice hotels seem to be a better fit along Interstates way from downtown areas

 

Third Street really stepping up things...the intersection at Convention St being transformed with the Watermark(thanks for link Cajun) & Onyxx residences opening..& up a few blocks Commerce Bldg & Cap One/440 at Third...Matherne's has a nice salad bar for lunch...wish i had camera on me downtown today

Downtown neighbors The Watermark, Onyx Residences both aim for September opening

Downtown Baton Rouge’s newest hotel, The Watermark, could be open by late August or early September, a hotel executive told the roughly 60 people at this morning’s Downtown Development District meeting.

Jay Haratsis, regional general manager for Wampold Hospitality Collection, says company is pushing hard to meet that deadline to open the 144-room Marriott Autograph Hotel. Developed by Mike Wampold, the hotel is at 150 Third St. in the old Louisiana National Bank building. The Marriott Autograph Hotel collection is the independent brand of the Marriott hotel line.

“It’s going to be a fun place,” Haratsis said.

Of the 144 rooms, 135 will offer king and queen beds; the other nine will be suites. The rooms will range from 300 to 450 square feet and feature complimentary internet, LCD flat screen TVs and a desk. The hotel will also offer 2,000 total square feet of meeting space, including a 1,000-square-foot ballroom.

The hotel will feature two restaurants: The Gregory and Milford’s on Third.

The Gregory will be a 130-seat full-scale restaurant that serves up traditional Louisiana cuisine with a twist. The main dining area will offer seating for 70; an exhibition kitchen will seat 14. The restaurant is named for the eight Angela Gregory murals that adorn the walls of the restaurant.

Milford’s on Third will be a kosher-style deli serving recipes from Milford’s Super Grocery, the store started by Wampold’s grandfather in Alexandria years ago. The deli will front Main Street, next to the hotel’s entrance.

“We’re really excited to bring some of Louisiana to the Autograph collection and to make it our own and celebrate the culture and area we’re in,” said Allison Crump, sales director for Wampold Hospitality Collection.

Wampold owns about 600 parking spaces downtown and Haratsis says they will be using those lots for The Watermark.

Also this morning, a representative of Commercial Properties Realty Trust said The Onyx Residences mixed-use development is also tentatively scheduled to open in early September. The $7 million, five-story building on 161 Third St. will comprise 26 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 3,000 square feet of commercial space. Tenants include IberiaBank and Regal Nails. The apartment building sits adjacent to The Watermark.

“Our whole corner is going to be a lot of fun,” said Kristin Diehl, who handles leasing inquiries with CRPT.

—Ryan Broussard

https://www.businessreport.com/article/downtown-neighbors-watermark-onyx-residences-aim-september-opening

[cajun]

On 7/12/2016 at 6:22 PM, dan326 said:

Neat breakdown! Maybe we'll get an aLoft?

Seems unlikely especially now that Starwood and Marriott are merging.    SpringHill, Four Points, and Hilton Garden Inns often show up within a few blocks of Courtyards and Hamptons though.    I can't see the Garden Inn happening unless the hotel near the airport loses their flag.

If we see a higher end Starwood, it may very well be a Sheraton flag hotel.   There is currently no Marriott flag downtown either so I'd guess the next move by that combined group would be a direct competitor to the Hilton.  

Edited August 1, 2016 by cajun

[richyb83]

Watermark hotel downtown now slated for October opening; second Magpie Café location set to open in about two weeks

The new downtown Marriott Autograph hotel, The Watermark, is now expected to open in early October, while Magpie Café is about two weeks out from opening its downtown location in the Commerce Building.

Jay Haratsis, regional general manager for Wampold Hospitality Collection, discussed the slightly postponed hotel opening at this morning’s Downtown Development District meeting.

“Part of it is because of the storm that occurred,” Haratsis said in an interview after the meeting. “Some contractors had to go home to take care of their families and houses. We didn’t have enough manpower.”

The hotel’s opening will now be within the first two weeks of October. It includes a deli, to be called Milford’s on Third, and an upscale restaurant, The Gregory, both of which will open with the hotel. The Watermark, developed by Mike Wampold, is at 150 Third St. in the old Louisiana National Bank building.

Magpie Café co-owner James Jacobs said the espresso bar and café is two weeks away from opening in the downtown Commerce Building, 333 Laurel St. This will be the second location for Magpie Café, with the original café located at 3205 Perkins Road. The downtown location is an expanded version of the original and can seat 100 people

https://www.businessreport.com/article/watermark-hotel-downtown-now-slated-october-opening-second-magpie-cafe-location-set-open-two-weeks

 

[dan326]

Neat, this hotel with definitely take BR to the next level.

[dan326]

Courtyard Marriott underway in downtown Baton Rouge after two years of delays

Developers of the Courtyard Marriott planned for the corner of Third and Florida streets downtown broke ground last week on the 135-room hotel, nearly two years after the project was announced.

Part of the reason it has taken so long to bring the project to fruition is because the developers, Windsor Aughtry Hotel Group, didn’t actually get the green light to move forward until last October, when the Metro Council approved the creation of a Tax Increment Financing district for the project.

Securing permits also took longer than expected. But the biggest factor behind the delay was the need to redesign the project in an effort to contain escalating costs.

Construction is scheduled to take 16 months to complete, and officials with Hospitality America, which will manage the property, hope to be open by November or December of next year.

https://www.businessreport.com/article/courtyard-marriott-underway-downtown-baton-rouge-two-years-delays

[richyb83]

2 minutes ago, richyb83 said:

Yes indeed...Glad this is finally happening!  Fantastic location...At 8-stories the hotel will look great at that tight intersection / surface parking lot w/ small footprint!

With the 135 additional rooms.. .. Downtown should be above the  threshold w well over 1,000 rooms now... the Watermark just opening at the next block & Holiday Inn Express now opened another block down at North Blvd Town Square....So any new development would be a pleasant surprise

At least the next several months building materials are $$$$ jack'd up thru the roof  because of the flood

 

Edited September 29, 2016 by richyb83

[dan326]

Here's come picks of the Chattanooga downtown Courtyard to show us what is will look like approximately.

This might have been posted but here's a pic of the Istrouma hotel that used to occupy the spot:

[cajun]

Cool!  

I think the Baton Rouge Courtyard will be slightly larger than the Chatanooga location.   

Love the photo of the Istrouma hotel.  

[richyb83]

Thank for the pics Dan   Yes very close...BR will have an additional floor = 8 stories..always good to see the Historical Throwbacks

Future site of the Courtyard Marriott...147 rooms...Florida St @ Third

 

Will have to get out of the car next time i take the pic lol

 

Watermark Hotel....New redevelopment of BR's 1st High Rise built in the 20's...just a block south...Third St @ Convention St

[/URL]

Edited October 6, 2016 by richyb83

[cajun]

Anybody else doubt they'd see the day where something like the Watermark, Indigo, Matherne's or all of these apartments downtown?  

I know Baton Rouge has had a horrible year with Alton Sterling shooting, the subsequent terrorist shooting on Airline, unprecedented and tragic flooding, Les Miles being fired, and Mike the Tiger getting sick.....but at least we can appreciate how far downtown has come.   There's a new hotel being built from the ground up there....and big blue is not only changing the local tech job market, but is doing it from a beautiful new office mid rise on the river downtown.    

And there's still relatively simple, affordable ways to massively improve downtown such has hardscape or landscape improvements.   

Chins up.   Baton Rouge has much to be proud of.  

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2016 by cajun

[dan326]

Great way of thinking! I definitely never thought we'd see a supermarket downtown or a 4 star hotel. I guess the next step should be more apartments and condos.

[richyb83]

Yes indeed Cajun...2016 has been a trying year for sure...they had to euthanize poor Mike the Tiger yesterday....& Downtown's story has been nice to watch unfold..the grocery store has been icing on the cake

The Watermark is opening on Third Street this weekend; ribbon cutting was today...guessing the 1,200-1,400 rooms in downtown is suffice for now,...glad Wampold was just joking tearing the historic building down so II City Plaza could have a view of the river

Area's first skyscraper now a new Watermark for downtown Baton Rouge

http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_908c67e2-90bb-11e6-bd20-3f7bcc93bef5.html?sr_source=lift_amplify

 

In other Hotel News: the new Candlewood Suites (81 rooms) looks almost finished on Bankers Ave near College/Corporate....the 4 story structure is on top of the ridge/fault-line...will it help with visibility from I-10??

Edited October 13, 2016 by richyb83