Benderson Development is busy converting the former Holiday Inn at 620 Delaware Avenue into a Residence Inn by Marriott.
The eight-story building has been owned by Benderson since 1966 since its construction. Hart Hotels operated the 167-room hotel under a lease with Benderson that was not renewed. Benderson-owned Buffalo Lodging LLC will reduce the number of rooms by 62. All public spaces, including the hotel lobby, space on the ground to be occupied by Starbucks, and mechanicals will be updated. An outdoor pool will be enclosed.
The building façade will consist of brick veneer, reinforced concrete precast elements at the base, and a decorative spandrel glass panel system to cap the building as cornice and trim details. Building colors will consist of natural brown brick, grey precast material, and solar grey glass with an off-white metal panel system as accenting trim and cornices.
Benderson is heading to the Preservation Board on Thursday to obtain approval of the signage program for the revamped property.
A vertical Residence Inn sign proposed as an architectural element on the Delaware Avenue façade. It would be internally illuminated with halo lit maroon lettering which would illuminate white at night. There would also be a Residence Inn ground sign at the southern driveway, two Starbucks roof-mounted signs, and two small and round Starbucks pedestrian scale blade signs on the north and east elevations.
Work on the Fontanese Folts Aubrecht Ernst-designed project is expected to be complete this fall.