116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Newstrack: Hotel expected to open in early 2016
George C. Ford
Dec. 14, 2015 8:00 am
Background
A new Residence Inn by Marriott in southwest Cedar Rapids was projected to open in the fall of 2015, but the opening has been delayed.
Hawkeye Hotels of Burlington broke ground in November 2013 for the four-story hotel at 730 33rd Ave. SW. It will be very similar in appearance and amenities to a 100-suite Residence Inn at 2681 James St. in Coralville.
What's happened since
Raj Patel, Hawkeye Hotels director of development, said the 95-suite extended stay hotel is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2016.
'The main reasons for delay were changes in design that we opted to incorporate now rather than later from the franchise, working through any concerns the city has had, as well as some smaller contractor issues,” Patel said.
Patel said the hotel will have between 30 and 40 employees, of which most will be full time.
'The bulk of our hiring process will begin as we move closer to our opening date,” he said. 'We have a general manager hired, who will oversee the rest of the hiring process.”
While the parking lot, lighting and other exterior work is underway outside the building, the interior of the hotel is taking shape. Wallpapering is complete in all the suites, and carpeting will be installed in the hallways.
Each suite is equipped with residential-sized appliances, microwave and coffee maker to provide guests what they need for an extended stay. Each suite includes a large work desk, ergonomic chair and free high-speed Internet access.
Residence Inns are designed as all-suite hotels that offer studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom options. Some suites can be connected to provide additional space.
Patel said the Residence Inn will offer a daily complimentary buffet breakfast for guests. Light food items and beverages will be on offer in the evenings.
Patel said the Residence Inn will have an indoor swimming pool, exercise room, meeting room and multipurpose outdoor exercise area equipped with a basketball backboard. A grill will be available for outdoor cooking and dining when the weather is appropriate.
Hawkeye Hotels owns and operates more than $400 million in assets across the Midwest. The company opened a 92-room, four-story Fairfield Inn & Suites nearby at 605 32nd Ave. SW in 2011.
'Hawkeye Hotels is building a new 21,000-square-foot corporate office in the Coral Galleria area near our Residence Inn in Coralville,” Patel said. 'We also plan to construct a new Fairfield Inn by Marriott in the same area. That project will start in the spring of 2016.”
Hawkeye Hotels has more than 1,000 employees and has affiliations with leading hospitality brands, including Marriott, Hilton, InterContinental and Starwood.
Holly Schafer of Davenport, an employee of Steve's Flooring, caulks around the baseboard in a bathroom at the Residence Inn under construction at 730 33rd Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
The lobby at the Residence Inn under construction at 730 33rd Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
The pool area is seen through plastic on a nearby door at the Residence Inn under construction at 730 33rd Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Raj Patel, corporate director of development, shows floor plans at the Residence Inn under construction at 730 33rd Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
The Residence Inn under construction at 730 33rd Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Lighting fixtures and drywall are installed in a hallway at the Residence Inn under construction at 730 33rd Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Parts of the front desk are still wrapped at the Residence Inn under construction at 730 33rd Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)