Ë®¹ûÅÉAV

The proposal comes from Syracuse developer Woodbine Hospitality Group. In an interview with Ë®¹ûÅÉAV Thursday, Woodbine's Tom Fernandez said the two-story hotel would be built across from Hill-Rom, formerly Welch Allyn, on State Street Road between Mottville Road and Old Seneca Turnpike.

The developer, which also owns and operates Parkview Hotel and Hotel Skyler in Syracuse, purchased the 32-acre Skaneateles property a few years ago, Fernandez said.

Woodbine began planning to build a hotel on the property after evaluating the Skaneateles hospitality market, Fernandez said. Attendees of events at The Lodge at Welch Allyn across the street would have a place nearby to spend the night. And the majority of the Skaneateles area's nine wedding venues do not offer overnight accommodations, Fernandez continued.

"We see a need there," he said. "And with the expansion of Hill-Rom, and other businesses coming to the market, we believe this hotel will work with those demand generators."

The hotel, which does not yet have a name, would resemble the New England-style residential areas of Skaneateles, Fernandez said. It would include a pool and hot tub, exercise facility, restaurant and likely a small shopping area within the lobby. However, Fernandez said the hotel would not have a conference center nor a spa, as those needs are currently met by Skaneateles establishments like The Lodge at Welch Allyn and Mirbeau. Without a conference center, he continued, the hotel should not have a significant effect on traffic in the area.

Fernandez, who lives in Skaneateles, said that Woodbine does not currently have a budget for the hotel, and would fund its construction privately. The developer is working with architect Wayne LaFrance of Lake Architectural in Marcellus on the project. Woodbine hopes to open the hotel in 2022, Fernandez said, so the developer is giving itself time to plan around any big changes.

The 32-acre property does not require a zoning change, and an environmental review has been completed, Fernandez said. The hotel will take up less than 10% of the grassland property, he added.

Renderings of the hotel should be available at the public hearing Jan. 21, Fernandez said, and he wants to address any concerns as it moves toward site plan approval by the town planning board.

"As always with any change, there's some concern. We want to make sure we can meet and talk about any possible changes that might need to take place," he said. "We want to be good neighbors."