HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Houston-based American Liberty Hospitality is nearing completion of a 14-story hotel tower on the West Loop near San Felipe Road in Houston.
The 319-room development is a dual-branded property that combines two distinct yet complementary lodging experiences under one roof.
The project houses the combined Holiday Inn Express Houston – Galleria Area and Staybridge Suites Houston – Galleria Area, both franchised by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
“We’ve had great success with our dual-branded hotel in Downtown Houston and believe that the concept is equally suited to the Galleria area,” said Nick Massad III, senior vice president of development at American Liberty Hospitality.
The hotels were scheduled to open in 2021, a challenging period for the hospitality industry as it recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. Real estate investors have noted the severe impact on the hotel sector, even as some development projects continued through the crisis.
When the pandemic emerged, American Liberty was already well into construction of the Loop 610 tower. In response, the company incorporated a range of health-focused features and touchless technologies into the building’s design and operations.
“With the arrival of COVID during the construction process, the latest touchless technologies have also been incorporated into design and processes – everything from medical grade air filtration to keyless check-in – buoying American Liberty Hospitality’s existing commitment to safety and cleanliness, now further enhanced with exacting protocols,” the company said in a press release.
“The IHG Clean Promise has been enhanced with science-led best practices and service measures, continuing our long-standing commitment to rigorous cleaning procedures,” said Scott Austin, senior vice president of operations for American Liberty. “The insight and experience we’ve gained over the last nine months from our other properties and our guests has been invaluable. We were fortunate to have additional time to refine an already wonderful product.”
Arch-Con Corporation, a Houston-based firm with extensive hotel construction experience, served as general contractor. Architectural and interior design was provided by MCS Architects. Construction financing was arranged by Plains Capital Bank and Artemis Real Estate Partners.
The tower, located on the east side of Loop 610, will dedicate 150 rooms to Staybridge Suites. Those suites are equipped with full kitchens, including a full-size refrigerator with ice maker, microwave, toaster, coffee maker, dishwasher, and complete kitchenware.
The remaining 169 rooms will operate under the Holiday Inn Express brand, which is popular with business travelers and families and is one of IHG’s largest brands with thousands of locations worldwide.
Nov. 21, 2020 Realty News Report Copyright 2020
Photo: Courtesy of Michael Anthony
File: New Hotel Tower Nears
File: (2) American Liberty Hospitality. Nick Massad. IHG. Arch-Con Corp. New Hotel Tower Nears Completion. 11-21-20