The Carmel Redevelopment Commission is continuing its work on the City Center area. Landscaping is underway at The Palladium, The Nash building is set to open soon, and design plans have been ordered for a new hotel nearby.
CRC Director Corrie Meyer said the commission hired architectural firm David M. Schwarz Architects, out of Washington D.C., to create plans, “just to take an initial look at what it could be.”
The contract is for up to $25,000 to explore what a hotel at the Carmel City Center could or should look like. Presumably, Pedcor would build the hotel, but no operating company has been identified.
The hotel has been in the works since the initial planning for City Center. Although previous plans exist, Meyer said it was important to update the plan now that phase one of Carmel City Center is complete and phase two is beginning.
“The site plan evolved over the years,” she said. “Now that the City Center is in its second phase and Pedcor has a lockdown on how all of the pieces are working, how can we maximize the use of the hotel? How can we marry the aesthetics from the nearby structures and come up with viable design ideas?”
It’s unknown whether the hotel operator would purchase the hotel building or whether an agreement would be reached. Meyer said it’s important not to get too far ahead at this point.
“We’re just trying to cast this vision at this point,” she said.
The CRC is also working on improvements and landscaping for areas including The Carmel Center for the Performing Arts. The commission is spending $1.3 million to finish the area outside of The Palladium by using previously purchased limestone to create improvements. The CRC also approved $150,000 to repair the dome of The Palladium, which needed work to ensure long term structural integrity.
Meyer said the CRC is also excited about the upcoming opening of The Nash building, a mixed used property owned by Pedcor located just south of the main Carmel City Center building. CRC spent some of its funds to help with the site. Residential units are located above retail tenants, which include Graeter’s Ice Cream and The Art of Home & Kitchen.
