College Park officials cap hotel plans at eight stories

Future of East Campus amenity hinges on city deal

The City Council wants a high-end hotel between five and eight stories tall that has a full service restaurant and includes the bordering Route 1 properties in its development.

"Part of our vision is to land something that's a high quality, full-service hotel and conference center, so we can take that liability off of East Campus," Mayor Stephen Brayman said.

A full service hotel and conference center is planned among the buildings in the current East Campus Redevelopment Initiative, a 38-acre mixed-use retail and residential town center expected to span the eastern part of College Park.

Brayman said moving the hotel and conference center away from East Campus will help the surrounding business community prosper after East Campus is completed.

"When East Campus was launched, there was a lot of concern among the business community," he said. "If you have a struggling business community next to a big new shiny business district, that community may struggle and even die."

Brayman said he hopes that one of the four developers that submitted a formal proposal, Mark Vogel Companies, Star Hotels, The Olympia Companies or Armada Hoffler Development Company, will be able to provide the type of hotel the council would like within the city.

City Manager Joe Nagro also received letters from three other developers inquiring about the property.

University of Maryland, College Park vice president of academic affairs Douglas M. Duncan said the school would be willing to let the city handle the hotel and conference center.

"We want one as part of the East Campus project, but if they can get one there, great," he said. "If not, we'll move forward with our plans for East Campus. We've been working with them, and we're supporting their efforts."

Some council members were skeptical of being able to keep an upscale hotel under eight stories and still have enough beds to justify a conference center.

"I think there might be a conflict in what we're asking for," Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich (Dist. 3) said. "When I look at Hilton, Hyatt or Marriott, they're not six or even eight stories. They're 12, 13, sometimes 18."

Councilman Jack Perry (Dist. 2) said he was concerned because plans to move City Hall are not finalized.

The city has not determined a location for a new City Hall and is not able to promise the availability of the current City Hall's land to developers.

"We do not know when this site will be available for the developer to come onto it," he said. "How far ahead does a developer hang himself out there for something down the road?"

Nagro said developers would still be willing to begin negotiations with the city.

"I think there's a certain amount they'd be willing to do," he said. "How deep will they go without any real confirmation we're leaving? I don't know."

City staff will include that condition in their responses.

Nagro also said that acquiring the properties on the south side of the 7400 block of Route 1, which would provide the developer with an extra 15,000 square feet of space, will be key in determining whether or not the project is feasible.

Shang Hai Café, Subway, Smoothie King, A2Z Wireless, Hair Cuttery and Curry Express are all currently located on that block.

"I think the Route 1 properties are critical to this whole thing," he said.

Brayman also said that any hotel built would also have to obtain a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, silver certification, the same level required on East Campus.

E-mail Jonah Schuman at jschuman@gazette.net.