The Historic District Landmarks Commission rejected the application to demolish a four historic buildings in the CBD to clear out space for a 21-story hotel tower after residents and preservation groups voiced their opposition to the plan.
Minnesota-based Wischermann Partners Inc. and local developer and property owner Kishore “Mike” Motwani, want to demolish four historic buildings and two other structures in order to build the 250-foot-high hotels.
The proposed $120 million hotel, being developed as Residence Inn and Springhill Suites of the Marriott Hotel chain, include plans for 373 rooms and a five-story, 168-space parking garage.
The hotel also calls for a ground-level restaurant that would face Tchoupitoulas Street. The hotel entrance would be at the corner of Canal and Tchoupitoulas.
The HDLC voted 4-0 to deny demolition (one member absent).
According to CityBusiness, the development team plans to appeal the decision to the City Council. The appeal must be filed within 10 days.
[…] for the construction of the hotel involved the demolition of four historic buildings. The HDLC unanimously rejected their demolition request back in March, and the council had been scheduled to decide Thursday on appeal whether to overturn the […]
[…] The original plan called for the demolition of 4 historic buildings, and a tower that would be significantly higher than the property’s current 70 foot height limit. The footprint for the property is approximately 49,661 square feet with approximately 130,500 square feet of existing improvements. The 21-story hotel tower that would have been 250 feet plus a 100-foot spire, for a total of 350 feet, but it got denied by the City. […]