The future of a new hotel and convention center in Roanoke took a few more steps closer to reality.
The overview
During the April 28 meeting, Roanoke City Council approved contracts and other items related to the development of a project, which would be located east of City Hall, according to previous reporting.
The Roanoke Planning and Zoning Commission approved a site plan for the new hotel at the May 4 meeting, and the Roanoke Convention Center Hotel Local Development Corporation, or RCCHLDC, awarded five contracts at the April 28 meeting.
Three of the contracts were given to Brasfield & Gorrie, a Dallas company that was hired earlier this year to bid out the hotel and convention center project during a Feb. 10 meeting.
The first contract was a design-build agreement that includes preconstruction activities for $50,000 that will go to the general contractor and $341,900 for design assist fees to onboard subcontractors to work with the design team in updating drawings, according to city documents.
Another contract with Brasfield & Gorrie is to start procurement and construction on the model room for $349,527.
A construction monitor agreement with Brasfield & Gorrie for $320,676 was awarded. This will be paid to Cronin Construction to provide a third-party review of the guaranteed maximum price that Brasfield & Gorrie was contracted to do in February.
Cronin Construction’s work runs from May 1 to Aug. 4, according to city documents.
Zooming in
City staff estimated the cost of the project is $62 million, Community Impact previously reported. A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows the project costing $99.7 million.
According to city documents, the construction phase would start on or around Aug. 3 for the location at 600 S. Oak St.
The full-service boutique hotel will have approximately 200 rooms, meeting rooms, a ballroom and conference rooms and will be privately owned and operated.
The city will own the convention center and lease land in Roanoke to the hotel for operations, according to previous reporting.
Roanoke City Planner Ashlie Toliver said at the May 4 meeting that the hotel will be located on 3.27 acres and be five stories tall with a total area of 61,448 square feet.
She said the hotel is providing 343 parking spaces, more than the 315 required spaces. Of the 343 parking spots, 298 will be located in a parking garage and the remaining will be parallel or angled parking spots along Parish Lane.
What else?
A contract was given to Hilltop Securities Inc. for a municipal advisory agreement. According to city documents, the company would advise the RCCHLDC on issuing municipal securities or the sale of debt obligations. The contract would pay Hilltop Securities $12.50 per $1,000 of municipal securities issued.
Another contract was to provide a job site office for the RCCHLDC. The rent will be $1 per month in a location at the old city hall.
Finally, the board of directors for the RCCHLDC was approved during the meeting with one-year terms.
The chairperson/president is Mayor Carl “Scooter” Gierisch. Mayor Pro Tem Holly Gray was chosen as the vice chairperson/president, director of Finance Kyle Lester was chosen as the treasurer and Lindsay Rawlinson, the city’s secretary, will be the secretary for the board.
Also of note
A resolution was approved to post notice of the intention to issue combination tax and revenue certificate of obligations bonds for a maximum principal amount of $25 million.
The money would be for the design, acquisition, engineering, construction and equipping of the following public projects: constructing and/or acquiring structured parking for public use and legal, fiscal and engineering fees in connection with such projects, according to city documents.
The notice will have to be published twice and there will have to be at least 45 days before the council can officially approve the authorization of the bonds.
