May 07--Additional brick paved the way Monday evening for Bloomington's Plan Commission to approve a site plan for a proposed Candlewood Suites hotel along the city's western edge near Ind. 37.

The commission unanimously voted in favor of the plan to build the hotel, which would total 54,000 square feet and contain 84 rooms, on vacant land at 900 S. Basswood Drive. But members didn't cast their votes until they'd added a condition calling on the hotel's developer, Elkhart-based Americo Hospitality, to work with city staff to add more brick to the exterior of its design.

Commission President Jack Baker signaled his intent to vote against the hotel plan before the brick condition was added. Plans call for the hotel's exterior to be a combination of brick and an exterior insulation and finish system.

City staff had previously asked the developer to tack on some extra brick in the hotel's exterior sketches. That brick was mostly drawn in along the building's second floor.

"I see that some brick has been added, but in my opinion, not enough," Baker said. "This is one of the projects that's going to be seen coming and going from Bloomington."

Steve Smith, president of the Bloomington civil engineering firm Smith Neubecker and Associates Inc., represented the hotel developer at the commission meeting Monday. He said the brick condition shouldn't be a problem.

Plan commission members approved the plan with a 15-foot setback. The hotel property borders the Basswood Apartments on its north side. Those apartments are on land zoned multi-family residential, which typically requires a 30-foot total setback for adjacent properties such as hotels.

Members also OK'd the hotel plan to exceed a zoned height limit. The hotel is planned for 1.77 acres of land zoned for a planned unit development -- zoning that comes with a 50-foot height limit.

The building would stand at 45 feet tall and would have a parapet over its entryway jutting up to 55 feet.

"That entryway could be dropped, but this is their standard design," Smith said. "It looks better like that."

Construction on the hotel could be underway as early as this summer, according to Smith. He did not have an exact timetable for the project, though.

Americo Hospitality still has some steps to take before it can secure a building permit, as the plan commission stipulated some other conditions in its approval. They included the developer getting a grading permit and a modified access easement, as well as submitting a utility plan and lighting and photometric plan.

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