BRONX, NY – September 18, 2012 – In a major milestone for the Bronx, Simone Development Companies today announced that Marriott has signed an agreement to operate a luxury hotel as the centerpiece of Simone Development’s new Metro Center Atrium mixed-use project.  Metro Center Atrium is a 370,000-square-foot office/retail/hotel complex that Simone Development is constructing as the latest addition to its 42-acre, multi-building Hutchinson Metro Center campus.

The new Marriott at Metro Center Atrium, operating under the Residence Inn brand, will be the first luxury hotel to open in the Bronx. The 125-room extended stay hotel is scheduled to open in 2014.

"We’re thrilled that Marriott, one of the world’s premier hospitality companies, has chosen this location.  Metro Center Atrium is unique in the Bronx – there’s nothing quite like it available anywhere else in the Borough – and adding this luxury hotel property further builds our momentum toward completion of this thriving mixed-use project.  This truly is a landmark event for Metro Center Atrium, for our company, and for the Bronx," said Joseph Simone, President of Simone Development.

“Today is a great day for the Bronx,” said New York City Council Member James Vacca.  “We welcome Marriott as the borough’s first hotel with open arms and hope it is the signal of even more great things to come.  Clearly Marriott has recognized that the Bronx is a destination for New Yorkers and tourists alike.  We already have beautiful parks, the best zoo in the nation, the Yankees, and a PGA tour worthy golf course under construction in Ferry Point Park.”

Located within the highly successful Hutchinson Metro Center complex in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx, the Metro Center Atrium will also feature three floors of Class A office and medical space, as well as retail and restaurant opportunities.  The architecturally distinctive building will feature a spectacular glass atrium and lobby and is set in a beautifully landscaped suburban-style campus setting.  Abundant parking is provided on-site with more than 1,100 spaces.

Conveniently located off the Hutchinson River Parkway, Metro Center Atrium is easily accessible to major highways, bridges and airports. Manhattan is less than 20 minutes away and Westchester County is 10 minutes away.  LaGuardia, JFK, and Westchester County airports are less than 30 minutes from the site.

Metro Center Atrium is another chapter in the continuing success story of the Hutchinson Metro Center.  The 42-acre suburban-style campus offers the finest Class A office space and a host of first-class amenities never before offered in this market.  Amenities include the full-service Metro Café and Tower Cafe, fitness center, state-of-the-art teleconferencing center, on-site child care facility, attended gatehouse with 24/7 security, landscaped courtyards with gardens and seating/dining areas, full service bank branch, on-site executive car wash and detailing center, dry cleaners, sundry shop and ATM.  The complex also offers abundant free parking and a complimentary shuttle service to nearby subway lines.

About Simone Development Companies
Simone Development Companies is a full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and development of office, retail, industrial and residential properties in the New York tri-state area.  Headquartered in the Bronx, the privately held company owns and manages more than 5 million square feet of property in the Bronx, Westchester County, Queens, Long Island and Connecticut.  The company’s portfolio includes more than 100 properties and ranges from multi-building office parks to retail and industrial space.

The company’s largest and most successful development is the 42-acre Hutchinson Metro Center office complex located directly off the Hutchinson River Parkway in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx.  The first two phases of the complex (1200 Waters Place and 1250 Waters Place), which comprise nearly 750,000 square feet of Class A office and medical space, are fully leased.  Two additional phases totaling 650,000 square feet (the 370,000-square-foot Metro Center Atrium and 280,000-square-foot Tower Two, adjacent to 1250 Waters Place), are currently under development.