Now that is appears a hotel/conference center is destined for the Library Lot in downtown Ann Arbor, local residents are going to have weigh the pros and cons of such a development.
City officials have narrowed the field of six projects to two. The others have been put on hold, meaning they haven't been dismissed but don't hold your breath waiting for them to see the light of day. The leading projects come from Valiant Partners and Acquest Realty Advisors, which call for thousands of square feet of conference center, commercial space and hotels between 8-15 stories built over the underground parking garage currently being constructed next to the Ann Arbor District Library's downtown branch (the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue).
Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, points out that a new hotel hasn't been built in downtown in 40 years. Such a asset would provide a busy neighbor to complement the library, nearby business district and the University of Michigan.
"Hospitality and tourism is a growing industry," Pollay says. "The growth Ann Arbor has seen is at the highway edges. We have not had one [new hotel] in our energetic, vibrant city center."
The downside is that the devil might still be hiding in the details. She makes the point that the city and its residents need to better research and study the proposals to make sure a mistake isn't made that could cost the city further down the line.
"I think we need to better understand what is proposed," Pollay says.
Eli Cooper, transportation program manager for the city of Ann Arbor who is not involved with this project, voiced similar concerns and hopes for a new hotel in downtown. He says that section of the city is built for this type of intense use, since its in the middle of the downtown, near U-M's campus and adjacent to the Blake Transit Center.
"I couldn't think of a place that is easier to go to and from," Cooper says.
He also has concerns about the details of the development. Yes, on the surface a hotel makes sense in that location. However, the developer and city officials still need to figure out how its everyday operations will fit in seamlessly with the rest of downtown. How will food and products be delivered and garbage be removed without causing a traffic snarls? How will employees and patrons be efficiently transported to and from the site?
"The operational issues are a little more complicated but there is enough experience for them to be overcome," Cooper says.
Source: Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and Eli Cooper, transportation program manager for the city of Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke
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