Carrboro hotel to begin construction in 2017

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved a permit for a new Hilton Garden Inn to begin construction during a meeting on March 8.

“Carrboro is a destination town,” Board of Aldermen member Randee Haven-O’Donnell said.

The Hilton is being developed by Atma Hotel Group Inc. in partnership with Main Street Properties of Chapel Hill and will begin construction by the first quarter of 2017.

The hotel will be built at 107 Padgette Lane, behind the ArtsCenter and neighboring the Hampton Inn located at 370 E. Main St.

The Hampton Inn was also developed by both groups involved in the Hilton project.

Manish Atma, a principal partner at Atma Hotel Group, said because the Hilton has a different target consumer than the Hampton, the new hotel should not affect business for the Hampton.

“We are building close to 10,000 to 12,000 square feet of meeting space in the hotel,” he said. “This will attract large meetings and small conventions. The Hilton Garden Inn will be a little more upscale.”

The interior and exterior designs of the hotel are in the works, and the next step is for these ideas and construction plans to be approved.

Haven-O’Donnell said the building of the hotel is more of an expansion rather than an addition.

“I don’t see this as being a second hotel,” she said.

Main Street Properties partner Laura Van Sant said the Carrboro business community is supportive of the new addition.

“It brings more people on the street with money in their pockets to go spend at restaurants and shops and what not,” she said.

Van Sant also said the town had some concerns regarding parking. According to Van Sant, the original issues were that the hotel would be taking away public parking spots.

Van Sant said the city currently leases spaces in the deck for public parking, but this lease is set to expire in 2018.

“The town was concerned that public parking would go away, so we agreed that if the town wants to extend that lease we will be happy to do that,” she said.

In addition to the parking deck, Van Sant said they plan to have plenty of parking built with the hotel.

Haven-O’Donnell said since Carrboro hosts events and festivals, the additional space and parking will draw people to the town.

“Carrboro is its own magnet,” Haven-O’Donnell said. “I get so much positive energy from little Carrboro.”

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