Company hopes to build luxury hotel on Rt. 130
Applicants say there's strong demand for such a facility in the area
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - A luxury hotel might be coming to the township.

The Zoning Board heard the start of an application from South Brunswick Hospitality Holdings during its Oct. 5 meeting.

The hotel would be located on Route 130 South and would technically be classified as a luxury hotel, which makes it about 25 percent larger than a standard hotel. While a regular hotel room, on average, is about 12 by 16 feet, or 192 square feet, with a bathroom and bed area, the proposed hotel's rooms would be 445-480 square feet, with a bathroom, sleeping area, living area and kitchenette.

There would be 21 such suites on the ground floor and 32 on each successive floor, over four floors. In total, there will be 116 rooms, as well as a pool, a gym, a breakfast nook and a small meeting room.

According to the architect for the firm, Neil Bhatt, the hotel is intended for extended stays, with the target market being business travelers. It's meant to feel like a home away from home, he said.

Steven Scharf, the director of the firm, said that given the success of the Residence Inn in Cranbury, a similar establishment, he is confident that another hotel in the area would be successful.

"We know there's demand in the market that's not being accommodated in South Brunswick," said Scharf. "A hotel as proposed here is definitely feasible."

Scharf also intimated that if South Brunswick does not pick up on the idea, there are plenty of towns in the area that will.

The company before the board is just building the structure. At the moment, it is unknown exactly what kind of hotel it will be, such as a Marriot or Hilton.

The hotel itself would be located directly next to a warehouse, though the firm headed off any concerns about noise, by going over a number of steps they would take to minimize it. The company will construct an 8-foot-tall fence as well as a wall between 3 and 4 feet high, and plant a row of large evergreen trees along the length of that wall.

The hotel will also include a restaurant, but will be located outside the building itself and thus will get comment from the board separately from the hotel itself. While it is unknown exactly what restaurant will occupy that space, it was strongly hinted that a national chain such as Applebee's or TGI Friday's would probably take it on.

Members of the board brought forward concerns that the hotel might become a de facto apartment complex and bring forth the problems associated with residential growth.

"I know of places where this is being done," said board member Fred Stemming.

Bhatt replied that, chances are, whatever chain runs the hotel would never tolerate such behavior.

Upon learning that the firm had many more witnesses to go, combined with the fact that it was already very late, board Chairman Marty Hammer moved that the board hear the rest of the testimony later. It was decided by the board that it will continue the discussion during the Nov. 2 meeting.