Sept. 29–A local developer is hoping his new Lexington County property can tap into downtown's hotel boom.

The new 108-room Residence Inn by Marriott is being built on U.S. 378 across from Lexington Medical Center.

Clancy Cipkala, managing partner & CEO of Columbia-based Solara Hospitality, said he hopes the hotel will not only service the needs of the hospital, but reach out to the growing town of Lexington and downtown Columbia s well, which he said has a void in extended stay properties.

"The hotel will only be minutes from the I-20 Lexington business district and only two miles from the … Vista," he said.

The four story, $12 million hotel will also offer some new trends in extended stay hotels.

Gone are the fireplaces and the hot tubs. "People just don't want them anymore," said Andy Briggs, Solara's vice president of operations and development.

In are Monday through Wednesday social hours, Tuesday night grill outs and food trucks every other Wednesday.

"Some of our guests stay for months and some for years," Briggs said. "We want to change it up a little bit for them and make them feel at home."

The $12 million, 8,700-square-foot hotel is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of next year. The hotel offers studio, one-bedroom and two bedroom suites and is designed for stays of five nights or more.

Solara also operates the Residence Inn by Marriott at I-26 at Lake Murray boulevard, Town Place Suites at Columbiana, and the Fairfield Inn on Two Notch Road. That represents a $50 million investment in the Midlands, Cipkala said.

"The partnership is proud to have local investors and plans on having local residents staff the hotel," he said.