Hotel chain looks at downtown spot; residents' emotions are mixed
By Hilary Craig
The hotel would occupy a parking lot next to the Lyric condominiums.
A Virginia Beach developer is interested in building a Courtyard by Marriott hotel in the heart of Lexington's historic South Main Street.
But first, the developer knows, he must convince skeptical neighbors that he will not diminish the charm of the downtown area.
"The goal here is to make the architecture of the new structure complement the historic district," said Timothy Stiffler, president of Tidewater Hotels and Resorts. "It would not be a tower."
The proposed hotel, with approximately 120 rooms, would replace most or all of the parking lot that lies between the Lyric condominiums and Trinity United Methodist Church.
"I think that the downtown historic area [in Lexington] is one of the best preserved historic downtowns in Virginia," said Stiffler. "We think a hotel right in that market would make for a powerful combination."
The conversation among city officials about a downtown hotel began several years ago, according to City Planner Bill Blatter. While there have been several developers who have looked at various downtown sites, Stiffler appears to be the most interested.
"I think he's the real deal," said Sammy Moore, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce.
Six weeks ago, Stiffler's proposal was brought before City Council. Members of the council agreed that this was something they were willing to look into, but they made no definite decisions.
"The council meeting was an effort to make sure everyone knew what we are trying to accomplish," said Stiffler. "The feedback I got was very positive."
Despite such feedback, Blatter emphasized that the proposal is still in the preliminary stages. According to Blatter, the city has agreed only to listen to what Stiffler proposes.
"There has certainly not been any commitment to a particular site, developer, or design," he said.
The next step in this process would be for Stiffler to present his initial ideas to a cross-section of the community, including representatives from City Council, the Methodist church and the Lyric condominiums. In addition, the city would have to agree to sell the land where the parking lot sits, take zoning action and issue a conditional-use permit.
According to Blatter, any further exploration will involve community discussion.
Blatter spoke to 15 lay leaders of Trinity United Methodist Church on Sept. 11, to introduce the possibility of a hotel being built adjacent to the church. The church owns part of the parking lot the developer is considering building on, although the city owns most or all of the part that would be minimally necessary for the hotel. Blatter also had a similar conversation with the owners of the Lyric condominiums, who would also be neighbors of the hotel.
"I think the Lyric owners felt somewhat threatened by the idea," Blatter said. "The church certainly wants to make very sure that if something is done it won't impact them. They are a little more open to taking a look."
The Rev. Michael Copeland, pastor of the church, declined to comment.
While the condominium owners might consider a downtown hotel somewhat threatening to the character of Main Street and to their property, Blatter and Moore emphasized the benefits it would bring to downtown businesses.
"If you put 50 or even 100 people at night walking around downtown, business will increase, especially with the type of people who stay at a Courtyard Marriott," said Moore. "I sincerely believe that this will have a huge economic impact."
Downtown businesses also seem open to the idea. In a survey done by the Chamber of Commerce of 50 downtown businesses, 80 percent were in favor.
On Sept. 10, Blatter authorized Stiffler to survey the property. Stiffler said his firm will work on design elements for three to six months before any definite steps will be taken. He emphasized that he wants to work with the community to build a hotel that fits in with the rest of the historic downtown.
"We want to make sure that this thing doesn't overpower that site, so we're not jammed up against neighboring buildings," he said.
Stiffler also agreed to work with the community concerning whether a hotel restaurant would compete with nearby restaurants. While the hotel is required to provide the opportunity for breakfast, Stiffler said that the food area is going to be designed for breakfast only, to accommodate the hotel guests.
According to Blatter, there are several unknowns concerning the hotel's proposal, including the size, the architectural style of the building and its impact on adjacent buildings. However, his biggest concern is parking. The hotel would take away the majority of parking spaces on the northwest side of South Main Street.
"These are public parking spaces that need to be maintained because they support that particular area of downtown," said Blatter. "How are the parking spaces going to be replaced?"
While there are still numerous elements to work out, Stiffler said he is "very interested." Tidewater Hotels and Resorts develops one to two hotels each year.
"We hope that Lexington is our next project," he said.
Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.
Lead supervisor: Prof. Brian Richardson
Reporting supervisors:
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd