Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JUNE 2, 2025 17 "These things have kind of happened in a perfect storm," said Connecticut Lodging Association Executive Director Ginny Kozlowski of Hartford's loss of hotel rooms. "As the market starts to stabilize, I think you will see more (hotel) investors come back into town." Randy Salvatore, CEO of Stamford-based developer RMS Cos., said he will propose a 120-room hotel on the site of his 20-acre North Crossing mixed-use development in Hartford, near Dunkin' Park, if plans move forward to convert an old, nearby data center into an AI hub. The city of Hartford has requested state support to launch the Connecticut Center for Applied AI, an effort that could include an investment of up to according to Accurate's website. Fairfield Inn & TownePlace Suites by Marriott, a 65-room hotel set for completion this summer, is being constructed at 363 Roberts St., in East Hartford, according to the town's website and CoStar. The project is a renovation of a former East Hartford Ramada Inn. Two other hotels expected to debut this summer are a 103-room Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton North Haven, at 700 Universal Drive North, and a five-room Broadway Avenue Hotel, at 32 Broadway Ave., in Mystic, according to CoStar. Greenwich Hospitality Group recently debuted its new 31-room Delamar Mystic hotel on the campus of the Seaport Museum and the banks of the Mystic River. Hale Mill Norwich Tapestry Collec- tion by Hilton, a 146-room hotel, is being built at 140 Yantik Road, in Norwich, according to CoStar. Capital City's needs Meantime, Hartford has a shortage of hotels, having lost around 700 rooms during the pandemic. Some former hotel properties have since been converted into apartments. Conversions have included turning the top half of the 22-story former 393-room Hartford Hilton into the "Revel" apart- ments, and renovating the bottom half of the property into a 170-room Double- Tree by Hilton Hartford hotel. In addition, the 116-room Homewood Suites by Hilton, at 338 Asylum St., was converted into the Bond Residences. Ginny Kozlowski Randy Salvatore $100 million over several years. "We believe that the possible devel- opment of the AI Center, coupled with a new hotel on that site, would bring good activity and excitement to the area around Dunkin' Park, our North Crossing development, and further connect the north end of Hartford to the center of the city," he said. RMS owns five boutique hotels across the state, including The Goodwin, a 124-room property, at 1 Haynes St., in downtown Hartford. The company recently announced plans to add 54 rooms to its 94-room Lloyd Hotel in Stamford. Plans for another office-to-hotel conversion in Hartford have been revived at 15 Lewis St., a shuttered office building once home to LAZ Parking, before the company relo- cated to the Gold Building years ago. Prominent developer Lexington Partners has discussed turning the 53,531-square-foot building into a boutique hotel with up to 90 rooms. There is also interest in turning the vacant lot at 3 Constitution Plaza, formerly home to WFSB Channel 3's broadcast center, into a hotel, officials said. Hartford needs more hotel rooms to accommodate visitors to the Conven- tion Center, XL Center, Dunkin' Park and other venues, but developers need to focus on projects that meet the needs of today's travelers, said Michael Frei- muth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority. "You can look at these spreadsheets all day long. The reality is, the market is measured by the consumer prefer- ences, not by the number of rooms or rates," he said. "It's the comfort and amenities and features of the new buildings, and people pay up for them. The demand for new buildings at a higher price point is outpacing the older buildings at the lower price points." NOMINATION DEADLINE: AUGUST 8, 2025 PHYSICIAN NURSE INNOVATION (INDIVIDUAL AWARD) INNOVATION (ORGANIZATION AWARD) VOLUNTEER HEALTH CARE STAFF HEALTHCARE PREVENTION MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR URGENT CARE OPERATOR OF THE YEAR SKILLED & ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY OF THE YEAR FIRST RESPONDER Celebrate the exceptional leaders in the healthcare industry by nominating them for the prestigious Health Care Heroes Awards! These statewide honors shine a spotlight on individuals and organizations—whether they be dedicated doctors, compassionate nurses, innovative specialists, or inspiring managers—who embody the true spirit of heroism in healthcare. Now is your chance to recognize those who go above and beyond in making a difference in the lives of others. Nominate a healthcare hero today and help us honor their invaluable contributions! CATEGORIES FOR NOMINATION: GO TO >> HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/HBJ-EVENTS CLICK ON HEALTHCARE HEROES FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO NOMINATE MAJOR SPONSORS EDUCATION SPONSOR SUPPORTING SPONSOR EVENT PARTNERS SCAN TO NOMINATE CT'S HOTEL CONSTRUCTION PIPELINE HOTEL NAME MUNICIPALITY ROOMS PLANNED OPENING Fairfield Inn & Suites EAST HARTFORD 65 JULY 2025 Fairfield Metro Hotel FAIRFIELD 118 JUNE 2025 Broadway Avenue Hotel MYSTIC 5 AUGUST 2025 Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton NORTH HAVEN 103 AUGUST 2025 Hale Mill Tapestry Collection by Hilton NORWICH 146 OCTOBER 2026 Source: STR Global JUMP FOR JOY! NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! NOMINATE TODAY DEADLINE 10/3 | SCAN HERE

• Cover