City building inspectors are expected to award the Hotel Downtown Gastonia, near Charlotte, NC, with a total certificate of occupancy by the end of the year, or shortly thereafter, which would mean the hotel could begin leasing rooms as soon as spring, developer Nathan Kirby told Gastonia City Council members, according to a report by Gaston Gazette.
“The good news is we’re hanging drywall,” Kirby said according to Gaston Gazette. “That’s probably the best update I can give because that’s a turning point projects make. When you’re hanging drywall, you can start ‘finish work’ and actually see things take shape,” he added according to the portal. “We don’t see any issues (with that timetable) right now.”
Kirby is one of the investors who bought the long-abandoned Lawyers Building at 168 W. Main Ave. in 2012, Gaston Gazette reminds, adding that he conceived a plan to convert the former office tower into a small hotel, with as many as 40 suites, using historic tax credits.
According to the portal, the city has promised to provide the developer with a total of USD 781,000 economic development grants over 10 years, while county commissioners have additionally pledged USD 271,604 in incentives for the project.
The property will be managed by Choice Hotels, Gaston Gazette reported. The hotel is foreseen to be part of the company’s Ascend Collection, which was created in 2008 to include historic boutique and smaller, unique hotels, the portal added.