Developers who want to build a boutique hotel in Saxony asked for more time to work with city planners Aug. 7 after it became clear that the City of Fishers Planned Unit Development Committee was going to reject the proposed design.
Striving Legacy Fishers LLC has plans to build Atwell Suites, a 113-room hotel at the southwest corner of Erlen Drive and Minden Drive, near IU Health Saxony.
Mindy Brown of Faegre Drinker LLP represented the developers in a presentation to the PUD Committee. She noted that there had been concerns raised by neighboring property owners, but those concerns focused on the use, not the architecture.
“We understand that neighbors don’t want a hotel at this location, but it’s an approved use at this specific location,” she said. “The current ask before you is related to architecture in what is the first commercial project in what will be a block of commercial projects in a mixed-use designation. Therefore, we respectfully don’t believe the remonstrators are in the right place at the right time.”
Brown said developers have worked with city planners to meet architectural standards, but there were branding needs to meet, as well.
“This is a brand-new hotel type and so IHG had a lot of requests to protect the brand and the prototype,” she said. “As they’re bringing what I think is the fourth-ish IHG hotel to market, they wanted to make sure that they had some say in that.”
Brown displayed images that she said showed how the proposed hotel design would fit with the character of the neighborhood. However, PUD Committee members didn’t agree.
Megan Baumgartner, who also is Fishers’ economic development director, said the city provided examples of preferred architectural styles after a May meeting with hotel developers.
“While some improvements have been made, it’s still, to me — and what I believe our PUD Committee is here for — is, does the architecture fit the character of the overall development?” she said. “So, for me, tonight, it’s going to be — and I’ll let my other members share any comments — but for me, it will be a motion to deny this proposal.”
Baumgartner said the brand requirements are the sticking point. That’s an issue the city has dealt with in the past, she said, and sometimes that means saying “no.” She said there had been many conversations with Atwell Suites developers about the design, but architectural changes have not been significant.
Committee member Pete Peterson, who also is a Fishers City Council member, said he understands the need to comply with a brand.
“I also get the fact that you’ve got a compliancy with the character of (the neighborhood),” he said. “So, we’re kind of at that impasse.”
Other committee members agreed and were about to vote on a motion to deny the developer’s plans. Brown interrupted and asked for more time to work with city staff on the architectural designs. The committee then approved a motion to postpone action.
