Construction on the City of Wilmington’s latest hotel is officially underway. The Buccini/Pollin Group broke ground on a new 120-room Homewood Suites on the Wilmington Riverfront Tuesday.
The developer says it will create 30 full-time jobs when operational next summer.
It follows a Buccini/Pollin-owned Westin, which opened on the Riverfront four years ago, and a Hyatt Place under construction now by ONIX Group.
A Residence Inn also opened on N. Market St. this spring.
City Council President Hanifa Shabazz says the Homewood will enhance the draw of other attractions at the Riverfront, like the Chase Center.
“With so many rooms, this is really going to just get us to the capacity to be able to host larger conventions,” she said.
The project on South Justison is a brownfield redevelopment site which DNREC issued a notification of negotiations about earlier this spring.
Michael Hare says the site has tested clean twice, and that a remediation plan with DNREC is in place.
Co-president Robert Buccini notes the west riverfront is nearly fully built out.
“There are so few developable land parcels on this part of the river now,” he said. “So we look forward to going to the other side. It’s obviously a proven template.”
Buccini says he expects development projects on the east side of the river to be quicker because the west side has paved the way.
According to Buccini/Pollin’s Michael Hare, the Homewood project did not receive any public incentives.
The company’s Westin Wilmington which opened at the Riverfront in 2014 got $3 million in loan guarantees from the city and the Riverfront Development Corporation, according to the News Journal.
The construction of the new Homewood Suites is expected to be completed next summer.
