The hotel on the second floor of the heritage building has a name and is getting ready to open.
Hotel STRY is the newest boutique hotel in southwestern Ontario and is located at 70 Murray St., in the renovated building that will have commercial units on the main floor and six hotel units upstairs.
Property owner and investor Lauri Brouyette said it has been years in the making and the soft opening for Hotel STRY is planned for early April. A grand opening will likely take place later in the spring.
“To see it all come together is incredible,” she said.
The six beautiful loft-style rooms feature exposed brick, 11-foot-high ceilings, and historically inspired design. According to a news release issued last Friday afternoon, “the suites immerse you in Amherstburg’s heritage and old-world charm - historic details on the facade have been painstakingly preserved, while contemporary amenities like kitchenettes, expansive balconies, and fireplaces have been woven in for a truly luxurious stay.”
Rooms range from roughly 300-square-feet to approximately 500-square-feet, Brouyette stated.
“Some of the rooms are smaller with balconies, some are larger with fireplaces,” she said. “Each room is unique.”
A new website is in development and a new front desk is being constructed for the hotel. The downstairs units will feature Pure Day Spa on one end and a space on the other end of the building that can be used as a three-season patio.
“It’s something unique for Essex County,” said Brouyette.
The middle unit is still available for lease.
Once things are wrapped up at 70 Murray St., Brouyette indicated that is when they will focus on Phase 2 of the plan, with that phase being the redevelopment of 63 Murray St., located directly across the street from 70 Murray St. The upper floor, once a dance hall, will be converted from apartments to seven more hotel suites. The upstairs units have 14-foot ceilings, which makes the building taller than an average two-storey structure. Commercial units will return to the main floor units.
Phase 3 will further expand the number of suites and commercial units at 61 Murray St. Brouyette said the vision is to take down the building that is currently on the site, the building that formerly housed the Society of St. Vincent de Paul store, the latter having moved to the Walmart plaza at 400 Sandwich St. S. A 12-unit hotel with commercial units on the ground floor, possibly four to five storeys, could occupy that site though Brouyette stated the third phase has yet to go before the Town of Amherstburg. The third phase would have an elevator and greater access that can be accommodated in a new build, she added.
“We’re very excited and we’re looking forward to an amazing year,” she said.
By Ron Giofu
New boutique hotel getting ready to open