CAMBRIA SUITES and CONCORD HOSPITALITY BREAKS THROUGH IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
Silver Spring, Md. (MARCH 4, 2013): Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world’s largest hotel companies, and Concord Hospitality announced today that construction of the 182-room Cambria Suites hotel in Washington, D.C. has begun “skyward.” As opposed to a traditional groundbreaking event, the “sky break” marks the start of hotel construction skyward above newly constructed retail at CityMarket at O, a mixed-use development one block from the Washington Convention Center. The all-suite hotel features spacious, larger than standard hotel rooms, a rooftop pool, fitness center and outdoor urban oasis terrace with open green space featuring sweeping views of the U.S. Capitol and the national monuments.
The project represents an investment of more than $40 million and an estimated 300 jobs to the Washington metro area, which has served as home to the global headquarters of Choice Hotels since 1968. Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. builds on the great momentum of this emerging brand. Three Cambria Suites hotels are currently under construction in New York City and White Plains in nearby Westchester County, with Cambria Suites White Plains set to open this summer. Cambria Suites Miami will open this summer as well. And, development agreements were recently announced for Cambria Suites hotels in Plano, TX – a corporate community outside Dallas, and Scottsdale, AZ.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, city officials, community and business leaders, members of the national and Washington, D.C. tourism community and development partners joined the unique “sky breaking” ceremony which marked the start of hotel construction. The event featured a dramatic 30-foot reveal of a rendering for the new hotel capturing the future landscape of this revitalized community.
The project is a venture between Choice Hotels, Concord Hospitality and Roadside Development, the developers of CityMarket at O. Concord Hospitality is an award-winning hotel management and development company managing more than 90 upscale select-service and full-service hotels across 24 states and two Canadian provinces; Roadside Development is a Washington DC-based real estate firm whose current portfolio of projects include over 1.5 million square feet of retail, 1,500 residential units, and over a half million square feet of office space.
TRAVEL MEANS BUSINESS
“We are proud to bring Cambria Suites to Washington, D.C. Choice Hotels’ history is rooted in this region. We live in this community. We are committed to this area,” said Stephen P. Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International. “Travel means business. By constructing this new Cambria Suites hotel in this historic and resurging community, we’re not only giving visitors a great place to stay, we will be infusing millions of dollars into the local economy and community for years to come.”
SUPPLYING DEMAND DOWNTOWN
Cambria Suites Washington D.C. provides travelers a convenient location in a neighborhood where room supply is in great demand. Located by the DC Convention Center, Cambria Suites DC also bridges into the heart of the resurging historic Shaw neighborhood. The property will be the first Cambria Suites hotels to be LEED certified and one of the first to be part of a mixed-use, urban design development. Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. is expected to open in Q2 of 2014.
“The Washington, D.C. convention center generates about $400 million of economic impact for the District each year, yet there is still a shortage of hotel rooms for conference and tradeshow attendees as well as those people who work the show itself,” said Michael Murphy, senior vice president, Cambria Suites. “Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. is the perfect hotel for travelers offering the space and amenities they need and want when away from home. It is a new-build, upscale hotel brand which offers award-winning design, exceptional services and the conveniences that help busy travelers live their lives on the road. It’s an ideal fit for this growing market.”
PRESERVING THE PAST WHILE DRIVING DEVELOPMENT
CityMarket at O is a $300 million, one million-square foot urban infill project developed by Roadside Development. The project is located next to the D.C. Convention Center in downtown Washington, D.C.
The center of the development is the O Street Market. Constructed in 1881, the O Street Market, also known as the Northern Market, was one of the five original markets built throughout the city, and one of only three that remain. The market’s façade has been structurally solidified and restored and will house a 72,000 square foot Giant supermarket. The development project also will feature green spaces, 87,000 square feet of retail, 629 residential units, 500 parking spaces and the Cambria Suites hotel.
The Shaw neighborhood is one of the most culturally rich and historic sections of Washington. Award-winning restaurants and entertainment venues surround the hotel, from N Street to U Street. Duke Ellington was raised in the Shaw neighborhood, and The Supremes staged their first performance in the neighborhood’s historic Howard Theatre, which re-opened in 2012 after a 32-year hiatus and a $29 million renovation.
AMENITIES REIGN SUPREME AT CAMBRIA
Cambria Suites Washington, D.C. will offer an urban interpretation of the brand’s signature design features including an iconic LED lit red terrazzo stairway housed in two stories of glass in full view of two streets, an urban oasis courtyard with green spaces which bridges in to the neighborhood, as well as a rooftop pool with relaxing chaise lounges and moon beds and gorgeous views of the urban cityscape. The hotel will also incorporate local artists and artwork depicting scenes from the neighborhood. This is all in addition to the distinctive style, convenience and amenities guests have already come to count on with Cambria Suites.
All hotels are new-construction and the brand leads the rest of the upscale lodging segment in guest satisfaction scores as measured by guests’ likelihood to recommend (LTR). As of today, many Cambria Suites hotels are ranked #1 and #2 in their respective markets on TripAdvisor.
Designed as a lifestyle hotel brand, Cambria Suites offers more than just a place to sleep at night. It features a larger lobby to give guests a more social atmosphere, spacious all-suite rooms that include separate areas to work and rest, providing business and leisure travelers room to relax, socialize and network.
All Cambria Suites hotels feature Reflect, a casual dining and gathering area serving a dinner menu, liquor, wine, beer, freshly prepared grab-and-go gourmet salads and sandwiches, a barista bar featuring Wolfgang Puck® coffee and a hot breakfast buffet; Refresh, a state-of-the-art fitness center with an elegant pool and hot tub/spa area; and Refill, a 24-7 convenience store that offers energy drinks, snacks and sundries.
In addition, each suite offers the latest technology, including two flat-screen LCD televisions and MediaHub™ plug-and-play technology, allowing guests to connect their laptop, MP3 player, game console, digital camera or CD/DVD player hassle-free. Free high-speed wired and wireless Internet access is available throughout the hotel so that guests can stay connected. There are currently 19 properties open across the country.
About Cambria Suites
Cambria Suites offers contemporary, upscale accommodations at affordable prices. Designed as a lifestyle hotel brand, Cambria Suites offers more than just a place to sleep at night. It features a larger lobby to give guests a more social atmosphere, all-suite rooms that are larger than standard hotel rooms and include a separate living, working and sleeping space, providing business and leisure travelers a haven to relax, socialize and network. As of December 31, 2012, there were 19 properties open across the country, representing more than 2200 guest suites, and 26 properties in various stages of development, representing an additional 3700 guest suites.
About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises approximately 6,200 hotels, representing more than 499,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories. As of December 31, 2012, 394 hotels, representing more than 31,000 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States. Additionally, 88 hotels, representing approximately 7,800 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in more than 20 other countries and territories. The company’s Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands, as well at its Ascend Hotel Collection membership program, serve guests worldwide.
Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. website, which may be accessed at www.choicehotels.com
About Concord Hospitality
Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company, an award-winning hotel management and development company based in Raleigh, N.C., manages more than 90 hotels offering more than 11,500 guest rooms in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. The company operates hotels and resorts under such well-known industry elite brands as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood, and Choice Hotels, as well as select independent boutique hotels. Formed in 1985, Concord recently was listed as one of the nation’s top management companies in the nation by independent sources, and recently won Marriott’s elite Partnership Circle award for the eighth time. Concord properties are some of the most awarded hotels in the country, having won nearly 100 top honors in the past two years alone. For more information, visit www.concordhotels.com.
About Roadside Development
Roadside Development (“Roadside”), is a Washington D.C.-based development company, formed more than 13 years ago by Richard Lake, Armond Spikell and Todd Weiss. The company focuses on the creation of retail and mixed-use environments. As one of the leading experts on retail real estate in the Washington metro region, Roadside has acquired, developed, constructed, leased and managed more than 8.5 million square feet of mixed-use and retail projects, including 16 grocery-anchored centers. Roadside has completed or is currently developing a number of urban and suburban projects that demonstrate its talent in developing community-oriented projects, including Cityline at Tenley, CityMarket at Glebe, Stonebridge at Potomac TownCenter, The Village College Park and the Purcellville Gateway. For more information on Roadside, visit www.RoadsideDevelopment.com.