Dec. 27–GLENWOOD — After building a pair of large hotels in 2014 and 2017, the local Patel family is getting ready to start their third and final project in Glenwood.
Alpesh and Komal Patel are preparing to build a five-story, 86-room hotel on their remaining undeveloped piece of Glenwood land, according to planning documents filed with the city of Springfield, which has jurisdiction over the area.
The documents show the project branded as a Tru by Hilton hotel, which would be built immediately east of their Candlewood Suites hotel site along Franklin Boulevard in the western part of Glenwood.
The Patels have long stated their intent to develop three hotels on the site. But they've been cautious with their timing since buying four acres of land in a series of purchases between 2007 and 2015. They opened the 87-room Candlewood Suites in 2014 and the 81-room Fairfield Inn & Suites just to the west last summer.
With major track and field events slated for a renovated Hayward Field — the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials and the 2021 World Outdoor Track & Field Championships — now is the time to move ahead with the Hilton project, Alpesh said. They hope to secure building permits and break ground around April, with a roughly one-year construction timeline.
"We want to finish before the Olympic trials," Patel said.
Springfield leaders have eyed the hotels as a key piece of the city's effort to revitalize the Glenwood area. The city sold 2.7 acres of Glenwood property to the Patels for their hotel projects in 2013 and 2015, around the same time Springfield purchased land in the area to install a public stormwater and drainage system for Glenwood.
Earlier this year the city wrapped up a $6.4 million remodel of the eastern portion of Franklin Boulevard through Glenwood, adding two roundabouts, center medians, walking and bicycle paths. Springfield also invoked its right of eminent domain to force a dozen Glenwood property owners to sell parts of their properties fronting Franklin Boulevard so the street could be widened, which increased the project budget to about $13.5 million.
The city eventually hopes to redevelop the entire length of Franklin Boulevard through Glenwood, but future phases depend on funding. Federal transportation funds covered about half of the project cost for the first phase of street work.
Follow Elon Glucklich on Twitter @EGlucklich. Email [email protected].
