March 22, 2013--An approximately $12 million 117-room Fairfield Inn & Suites is planned for construction on Ramsey Street, with the opening anticipated for this time next year.

Newport Ramsey LLC, which also owns majority interest in Candlewood Suites Fayetteville Fort Bragg on Legend Avenue, is pursuing the development of the hotel at 4249 Ramsey St., near the intersection of McArthur Road. The limited-liability company is based in Williamsburg, Va.

"We've been really happy with Fayetteville," said Michael Pleninger, president of the managing Newport Hospitality Group and one of four partners in the Fairfield Inn ownership team. "We like the whole market. We like the extended market. It's been good to us."

Candlewood Suites, which features larger-than-average hotel rooms, is geared toward extended stay guests. Half of the rooms in the Fairfield Inn & Suites would be full suites with kitchen capability. Along with those temporary housing accommodations, the inn would cater to overnight hotel guests.

As of Wednesday, the City Inspections office had not issued a building permit. Plans remain in the review stage.

The proposed four-story hotel will be built on 7.18 acres, with the ground floor designed for 16,729 square feet.

Pleninger called its design a new Fairfield Inn & Suites prototype, with additional space available for the fitness room and restaurant and breakfast service. The design includes a meeting space and a pool.

Pinkerton and Laws of Marietta, Ga., is the construction firm. The work is anticipated to get under way over the next 60 days, said Pleninger. He said construction would probably take about a year.

Newport Ramsey primarily manages properties. The company owns a half-dozen properties and manages another 30 up and down the East Coast, Pleninger said. Eight of those under its management are in North Carolina.

As for the Fairfield Inn & Suites planned for Ramsey, the prospective owners like the proximity to Interstate 95 and Methodist University. Pleninger also cited the growth along that main artery into Fayetteville.

"All along that strip are an awful lot of defense-related businesses," he said. "And Ramsey Street, we think, is really improving from a commercial services standpoint. It's really one of the more desirable locations in town."

Staff writer Michael Futch can be reached at [email protected] or 486-3529.

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