Another new Holiday Inn building could come to Livonia to replace an older one near I-275 in the coming months.
The city planning commission recently reviewed plans for a new Holiday Inn to replace the current hotel, located at 17123 N Laurel Park Dr., off Six Mile. The plans would allow for construction of the new building while the old hotel, built in the late 1970s, remains operational.
“Today, the hotel is out of date with the brand’s current standards and it’s the owners intentions to replace it with a prototype with a full-service Holiday Inn,” said city planning director Mark Taormina during the most recent planning commission meeting. “The new hotel would be built in the northwest corner of the property that would exist in such a way that would allow for the existing hotel to remain during construction.”
The new hotel would have 141 guest rooms, down from the current 199 it has now, spread across six stories. It would also contain banquet facilities for holding events and other meeting rooms.
The planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval. The plans now go to the city council for review. Project leaders say they hope to begin doing some work as early as later this year.
Once constructed, it would look similar to the new Holiday Inn recently built in Romulus, said Birmingham-based architect Christopher Enright, who is working on the project.
“Our building will be very, very similar to that building,” he said.
Also included in the plans are a pair of lots that could see some development of businesses such as restaurants. Those plans have not yet been finalized as to what will go on those lots facing Six Mile.
Enright said the building coming down is showing its age and the company is looking forward to having a new one erected in its place.
“It’s tired, worn and past its service,” he said. “Holiday Inn is excited to see that building gone.”
This is the second Holiday Inn-branded facility to come before the city in the last year. Work is currently being done to construct a new Holiday Inn Express and Suites at the southwest corner of Schoolcraft and Inkster in Livonia. That project received city approval earlier this year.
Planning commissioner Carol Smiley said she was happy to see the banquet facilities included in the rebuild, saying having the ability to hold an event such as a wedding in the facilities and allowing for guests to walk upstairs to their rooms is a positive step.
“I’ve had the opportunity to go to a couple of weddings where the reception was right at the hotel. I’m sure that’s going to be very popular,” she said. “I think that’s a real trend now, and I’m excited for you to be doing that.”
Commissioner Ian Wilshaw was also impressed with the project, and wished them well in their construction once it is approved.
“The plans look like a very high-quality product you’re bringing to us,” he said. “I wish you much success going forward, because I think it’s going to be stellar.”
