Hotel on North Construction Third Complete
 A tour of the under construction hotel included a stop in lounge area that will include a two-story skylight. See more photos here. |
Owners of the North Street building, David and Laurie Tierney, led a tour Thursday afternoon of the site that will soon become a boutique hotel.
"There is some major work to come ... But the major surprises are out of the way," said David Tierney III after showing the site to elected and business leaders.
Most of the work is being done with local contractors, Tierney said, as they try to support the community. As many as 80 workers have been on site at a time working from the fourth floor down.
"We really try to make this a lot about community," Laurie Tierney said.
Not only are contractors being sought locally, David Tierney said materials are being sourced from local companies as well. He also pointed out that the Tierneys are also local — the company was founded in Pittsfield by his father in 1959. The hotel is a bit of a family affair since Karen Tierney Hunt, his sister, is the architect. Daughter Meghan also joined her parents on the tour.
The first floor will feature a restaurant — the Tierneys declined to say more about it — that is expected to open first. The space where Spice Dragon once operated will stay a restaurant and bar space. The other side, where Mad Jack's used to be, will feature the entrance and lobby area featuring a revolving door and the works of local artists.
"Obviously, we had to close these restaurants because it is a mess," Laurie Tierney said, adding that the noise, dust and construction dangers posed hazards to the two restaurants. "It really was for the best."
The new restaurant is eyed to open in March to work out the kinks before the hotel guests arrive.
The upper floors will feature guest rooms around the interior perimeter of the buildings and the central areas will be "social spaces." The owners say they want every room to have windows with a view.
"We've got square buildings so there is a whole lot of space in the middle ... we decided to makes them into social spaces," David Tierney said. A centerpiece will be a massive skylight in over one of the social areas.
The ballroom on the second floor will remain, a decision that reduced the number of rooms from the original 50 to 45. The ballroom will be used for events such as weddings and parties.
The second floor will have 14 rooms; the third will have 20 and the fourth floor will have 11. Three of the rooms will be "extended stay" rooms with kitchenettes for those staying a week or longer.
"They are all good sized and they are all going to be unique," Tierney said.
Overall, Laurie Tierney characterizes the plans as "old meets new." "All the imperfections in the building, we're embracing," she said.
In the end, the hotel expects to employ 50 to 70 people depending on the season and even more will be hired for the restaurant and bar.
The hotel will be operated by Main Street Hospitality, the management group of the Red Lion Inn and Porches.
Tags: construction, economic development, motels, hotels, North Street, renovation, tour,
