Hotel hearing Tuesday

The three-story L-shaped hotel designed for Steve Zemo by architect Scott Yates of H&R Design would overlook a walled garden. The five-acre site off Old Quarry Road is expected to hold three other commercial buildings, including a multi-use office building, a storage facility and a large event space. The project will have a public hearing Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Hotel rooms that resemble apartment units, increased traffic on some of the towns busiest intersections, and runoff that would negatively affect the Great Swamp these are all concerns facing the Planning and Zoning Commission as it prepares to host a public hearing for the proposed Old Quarry Commons, a mixed-use project that includes a 48-suite hotel on the five-acre site off Old Quarry Road.

The project, which was submitted to the commission by local developer Steve Zemo, is expected to be completed and occupied by the end of 2016, if approved, according to the proposed plans.

In addition to the hotel, the proposal includes three other commercial buildings a storage facility, an event space and a mixed-use office building that would have 11 residential apartments on the second floor that would be located on the northern side of Old Quarry Road across from the old Schlumberger site.

Members of the the public have already raised concern with the designs specifically at the hotel, which would have 27 of its 48 units equipped with two bedrooms and two bathrooms as well as other additions, like a washer and dryer and a kitchen area.

I am very concerned that this is more reflective of an apartment building than a hotel, said local developer Patrick Downend in a letter to Town Planner Betty Brosisus on Dec. 10.

Individual units have laundry equipment, he said. I would challenge the applicant to produce a list of other Connecticut hotels that have in-unit laundry.

The kitchen areas designated on the plans are quite large for a hotel room, he said. The average hotel room size is approximately 850 square feet. Keep in mind the average hotel room size in the United States is between 300 and 400 square feet.

There are 27 two-bedroom, two bath units. That is very unusual for a hotel this size.

Mr. Downend also had an issue with the proposed hotels length of stays.

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Hotel hearing Tuesday