October 1, 2015 – NewcrestImage has purchased the 13-story building at 1600 Canal Street in New Orleans for repurpose development as the area’s first dual-branded hotel.
The property is strategically located at the intersection of Interstate 10, just nine blocks from the historic French Quarter district. It is adjacent across the interstate highway to the city’s 1,500-acre, $1.2 billion BioDistrict, which has become a model of collaboration in health care and research between medical facilities, educational institutions, and private enterprise.
The building, built in 1960 but vacant since 2005, will undergo a major renovation to house a 105-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott and 78-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott. It will become the country’s first property to combine these two brands in one building. Opening is expected by December of 2016.
The two hotels will share amenities, including a single lobby, registration desk, breakfast area, and indoor bar. There will be a single management and sales team, as well as a single housekeeping staff, with personnel being thoroughly cross-trained about the distinctive features of both brands.
A distinguishing feature of the property will be its rooftop, which is being transformed into an 8,000 sq. ft. garden overlooking Canal Street and featuring an outdoor bar, exercise room, and guest laundry. The entire building will include 130,000 sq. ft. of finished space.
NewcrestImage has been active in New Orleans since 2013, when it acquired property on Carondelet Street in the French Quarter that opened in November of 2014 as the first AC by Marriott brand hotel in the United States. The company sold that property last month.
“New Orleans is a vibrant destination and this new project will offer travelers a distinctive new option in local style and spirit,” says Mehul Patel, Chairman and CEO of NewcrestImage.
“Having two hotels in one building offers us the advantage of lower costs for real estate, construction, and operations, plus we will have a wider audience for our marketing initiatives,” added Patel.
The TownePlace Suites caters to extended-stay guests and will be the first property of this brand in the greater New Orleans area, while the SpringHill Suites focuses on more traditional short business and leisure stays.
NewcrestImage has extensive experience with dual-branded properties, having opened the first dual-branded in the Dallas area in December of 2013. It is a combination Courtyard by Marriott and TownePlace Suites by Marriott that is located about two miles from the DFW Airport.
The company is also repurposing a historic building in downtown Dallas as a dual-branded hotel that features an AC by Marriott and a Residence Inn by Marriott. The property is expected to open during the first quarter of 2016.
Currently, Dallas-based NewcrestImage operates 16 hotels. An additional 12 properties are under construction or in development.
