A new four-story Avid hotel with 92 residential units is to be built on the former Wendy’s property at US-31 in East Bay Township. The project would be the fourth location in Michigan and the first location north of Zeeland for the medium-sized hotel brand that belongs to the international hotel conglomerate IHG Hotels & Resorts.
Project representatives appeared in front of East Bay Township planners on Tuesday to conduct a review of the site plan of the proposed 43,540-square-foot hotel. Avid is a young hotel brand from IHG that, according to application documents submitted to the community, is focused on “teaching the everyday traveler the basics that have been exceptionally well done.” “This brand is aimed at practical travelers who want a good night’s sleep at a reasonable price. The mix of room types is aimed at both single travelers and families. On-site amenities include an indoor fitness center, indoor pool, lounge, outdoor seating, convenience store, and takeaway breakfast. “According to the company’s website, there are nearly four dozen Avid locations nationwide, including Michigan hotels in Detroit / Warren, Zeeland and Kalamazoo.
The former Wendy’s building would be demolished to make way for the new hotel, which would be approximately 50 feet tall and have 87 parking spaces on site. Joint parking agreements with neighboring locations could provide eight additional parking spaces with a total of one parking space per hotel room as well as three additional parking spaces for staff. Lake Michigan Hospitality 31 LLC is listed as the development group for the project, with Ann Arbor’s Bowers + Associates overseeing the architecture and design services.
According to the application documents, the hotel design should be “fresh and simple and offer an uncomplicated, minimalist aesthetic”. “Large glazed areas at the entrance offer inviting views from the street under an energetic overhang that covers the outdoor seating. On the front and side façades there are lively towers with a red accent, complemented by the neutral background of the main part of the building. “Hotel construction and property improvements – including a new fence on the southern property line to monitor development of the neighbors and the TART Trail – would all be completed in one phase. Scott Bowers of Bowers + Associates said the location was chosen for an Avid hotel “because (the project) fits in well with the character of the US-31 corridor and the design of Wendy’s property.”
The hotel is legally permissible, meaning developers have the right to create the project as long as it meets the standards for community zones and site plans. The planning officers largely supported the project on Tuesday. Several board members expressed their appreciation for the developers who agreed to eliminate one of the two front property service drives – which resulted in less traffic conflict on US-31 – and to establish connections from the rear to neighboring locations. Planners were also positive about the willingness of developers to make significant investments to revitalize Wendy’s vacant and deteriorating property. Planning Commissioner John Sych said he thought the hotel was “a good development” for East Bay Township, while Planning Commissioner Daniel Leonard said he was “overall just glad that something was coming in and activating the room.”
Planners cited several optimizations, but wanted the site plan to be changed before the hotel was lit up in green. The project is expected to return in front of the board for further review and possible approval in the next month. Standout items include more detailed plans for a proposed pedestrian link to the hotel, rainwater management plans for the property, joint parking arrangements with neighboring properties, more greenery at the front of the property to soften the site near US-31, and a tree conservation plan . There are 39 old trees on the site. There are currently plans to save 31 of these trees during construction. Of the eight trees to be felled, staff and some residents requested special consideration of at least three that they believed could be saved with minor revisions to the site plan.
Project representatives agreed to provide the requested outstanding documents and attempt to include staff and public contributions in the landscaping plans for the property. “(We’re) trying to save as much vegetation or the large pine trees that are on the site as possible. We want to do a good project,” Bowers said.
Pictured: To the left, Wendy’s former estate in East Bay Township; Right, conceptual representation of an Avid Hotel
