The ink is barely dry on the closing papers on Uniland Development Corporation’s purchase last week of the Delaware Court property and the rumor mill is churning with development ideas and rumors. But future plans for the site may already be gelling. A dependable source says development of the site is likely to include an Aloft hotel and parking component.
Last week, Uniland Vice President Michael Montante said the company plans to restore the Delaware Court building while considering long-term plans for the site. The existing façade would be incorporated into the any future project.
Montante said that “Uniland is already working with different users, some of them large users, and expects to have plans finalized within the next few months.”
According to a source, the proposed hotel would carry the Aloft flag and be in the 10 to 14-story range with a three-story parking garage.
Aloft is a division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. It has 61 existing hotels in 10 countries and 38 additional properties planned or under construction. Plans for an Aloft near the Buffalo airport are back on track after being put on hold a few years ago.
Since its 2008 debut, the Aloft brand has consistently garnered high guest satisfaction scores since its launch, with select hotels ranking among TripAdvisor’s 2012 “Top 25 Trendiest Hotels in the US and around the world.” In addition to new developments, the Aloft brand’s global growth plans include conversions and adaptive-reuse projects.