Budget Inn plans to be a Best Western

Jun 22, 2010 at 01:20 pm by Observer-Review


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Budget Inn plans to be a Best Western

WATKINS GLEN—The owner of the Budget Inn in Watkins Glen is planning on renovated the building, and making it a Best Western.
Owner Bharat “Bob” Patel and Jonathan Bennett, architect for Design Collaborative Studios Architecture P.C., showed the preliminary plans and drawings of this project to the Watkins Glen planning board, Wednesday, June 16. The two hope to have a preliminary site plan for the planning board at the July meeting.
Bennett explained that as it stands, the project has one building torn down, and the remaining four merged into one two-story hotel. He said the building at the front of the property, nearest to Route 14, would be the demolished building. It would make way for a new sign, with whichever franchise the hotel becomes.
Bennett said Patel is in negotiations with Best Western. However, if that falls through the owners will look at Econo Lodge and Quality Inn as other possibilities. Bennett described the end product “a quaint little hotel, with a brand name of course.”
Bennett said the renovations on three of the four buildings would add second floors, creating at most 20 more rooms. He said the new hotel could have between 37 and 39 rooms, depending on some final changes to the room arrangement. He added that if the hotel has 39 rooms, having enough parking spots for all guests might be problematic. The plans also include building a parking lot on the southern end of the property.
Other parts of the projects include an indoor pool on the south end of the building. Bennett said and the second story there would have a good view of the creek and waterfall on the west side of the property. Bennett said the designs are still being finalized and the lobby area is also being refined.
Overall, Bennett explained the project’s footprint is generally the same size as the current structures. He added there are limitations to the project because of the property size; Route 14 in the front, steep slopes in the back, and existing buildings north and south of the hotel.
The board itself did not have any immediate concerns at the meeting, but will be expecting the preliminary site plan. Watkins Code Enforcement Officer Gordon Wright suggested the project owners speak with the Department of Transportation as soon as possible about curb cutting.
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