SILVER SPRING, MD.—Choice Hotels International, Inc., one of the world’s largest hotel companies, and Concord Hospitality announced that construction of the 182-room Cambria Suites hotel in Washington, D.C. has begun “skyward.” As opposed to a traditional groundbreaking event, the “skybreak” marks the start of hotel construction skyward above newly constructed retail at CityMarket at O, a mixed-use development one block from the Washington Convention Center. The all-suite hotel features spacious, larger than standard hotel rooms, a rooftop pool, fitness center and outdoor urban oasis terrace with open green space featuring sweeping views of the U.S. Capitol and the national monuments. The property will be the first Cambria Suites hotels to be LEED certified and one of the first to be part of a mixed-use, urban design development.
The project represents an investment of more than $40 million and an estimated 300 jobs to the Washington metro area, which has served as home to the global headquarters of Choice Hotels since 1968. Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. builds on the momentum of this emerging brand. Three Cambria Suites hotels are currently under construction in New York City and White Plains in nearby Westchester County, with Cambria Suites White Plains set to open this summer. Cambria Suites Miami will open this summer as well. And, development agreements were recently announced for Cambria Suites hotels in Plano, Texas—a corporate community outside Dallas—and Scottsdale, Ariz.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, city officials, community and business leaders, members of the national and Washington, D.C. tourism community and development partners joined the unique “skybreaking” ceremony which marked the start of hotel construction.The event featured a dramatic 30-foot reveal of a rendering for the new hotel capturing the future landscape of this revitalized community.
Three Project Partners
The project is a venture between Choice Hotels, Concord Hospitality and Roadside Development, the developers of CityMarket at O. Concord Hospitality is an award-winning hotel management and development company managing more than 90 upscale select-service and full-service hotels across 24 states and two Canadian provinces; Roadside Development is a Washington D.C.-based real estate firm whose current portfolio of projects include more than 1.5 million square feet of retail, 1,500 residential units, and more than a half million square feet of office space.
“We are proud to bring Cambria Suites to Washington, D.C.,” said Stephen P. Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International. “Choice Hotels’ history is rooted in this region. We live in this community. We are committed to this area. By constructing this new Cambria Suites hotel in this historic and resurging community, we’re not only giving visitors a great place to stay, we will be infusing millions of dollars into the local economy and community for years to come.”
Cambria Suites Washington D.C. will provide travelers a convenient location in a neighborhood where room supply is in great demand. Located by the DC Convention Center, Cambria Suites D.C. also bridges into the heart of the resurging historic Shaw neighborhood. Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. is expected to open in Q2 of 2014.
“The Washington, D.C. convention center generates about $400 million of economic impact for the District each year, yet there is still a shortage of hotel rooms for conference and tradeshow attendees as well as those people who work the show itself,” said Michael Murphy, senior vice president, Cambria Suites. “Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. is the perfect hotel for travelers offering the space and amenities they need and want when away from home. It is a new-build, upscale hotel brand which offers award-winning design, exceptional services and the conveniences that help busy travelers live their lives on the road. It’s an ideal fit for this growing market.”
CityMarket at O Developed by Roadside Development
CityMarket at O is a $300 million, 1 million-square-foot urban infill project developed by Roadside Development. The project is located next to the D.C. Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C.
The center of the development is the O Street Market. Constructed in 1881, the O Street Market, also known as the Northern Market, was one of the five original markets built throughout the city, and one of only three that remain. The market’s façade has been structurally solidified and restored and will house a 72,000-square-foot Giant supermarket. The development project also will feature green spaces, 87,000 square feet of retail, 629 residential units, 500 parking spaces and the Cambria Suites hotel.
The Shaw neighborhood is one of the most culturally rich and historic sections of Washington. Award-winning restaurants and entertainment venues surround the hotel, from N Street to U Street. Duke Ellington was raised in the Shaw neighborhood, and The Supremes staged their first performance in the neighborhood’s historic Howard Theatre, which reopened in 2012 after a 32-year hiatus and a $29 million renovation.
Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. will offer an urban interpretation of the brand’s signature design features including an iconic LED lit red terrazzo stairway housed in two stories of glass in full view of two streets, an urban oasis courtyard with green spaces which bridges in to the neighborhood, as well as a rooftop pool with relaxing chaise lounges and moon beds and views of the urban cityscape. The hotel will also incorporate local artists and artwork depicting scenes from the neighborhood.
Go to Choice Hotels.
