Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

July 11, 2019

Glastonbury council’s concerns send hotel developer back to drawing board

Rendering | The Claremont Company A rendering of a proposed 131-room Marriott Hotel in Glastonbury’s Somerset Square.
By Alex Wood | Journal Inquirer

Glastonbury's Town Council on Tuesday failed to give final approval to a plan to build a large hotel in the Somerset Square development because some members don’t like the way the proposed building looks.

“I think people will say it looks strange,” Democratic council member Jacob McChesney said of the four-story, 131-room AC Hotel by Marriott, which is proposed for a 2.88-acre site at 75 Glastonbury Blvd.

As it became clear from the council’s discussion that the proposal might not have the five votes needed for passage, the council decided to refer it back to a joint committee on planned area developments, such as Somerset Square. The committee consists of two members each from the council and the town Plan and Zoning Commission.

When developers first proposed the hotel, its exterior surfaces were mostly different shades of gray, according to a slide of the original plan shown during Tuesday’s presentation to the council.

In response to prodding by members of various local boards, the developers added areas of brick-like material to the exterior. Other surfaces were changed from gray to silver.

But the changes still left several council members dissatisfied.

Reacting to a statement by one of the representatives of the developers that they had to respect the hotel’s brand, Republican council member Kurt P. Cavanaugh asked, “How are you respecting Glastonbury’s brand?”

“I believe Glastonbury has proven to have the ability to create its own brand,” replied lawyer Peter Alter, representing the developers. He added that the plan “does pay great respect to the elements of Somerset Square that have stood the test of time.”

But Cavanaugh said later, “I think this is too much of a substantial change for this area.”

The hotel is proposed by 75 Glastonbury Land LLC, of which the sole principal is The Claremont Co. Inc. of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, records show. On its website, Claremont describes itself as “a privately owned and closely held real estate investment, development, and asset management firm.”

One of McChesney’s main objections to the design was that in the brick areas of the proposed building’s exterior the mortar is the same color as the brick.

“I just wish there was more of an effort to make it fit in,” he said of the building. “I’m really disappointed with the design.”

“The starkness of the gray does concern me,” said Democratic council member Lawrence Niland. “I would like to see more brick.”

“Once this is built, we have it for decades,” said Democrat Mary LaChance. “I’m not crazy about all the gray.”

But Republican Whit C. Osgood said he would have voted for the proposal if it had gone to a vote.

“It’s a respectable chain,” he said of Marriott. “It’s going to be a good addition to the town.”

This story has been modified for the web

Sign up for Enews

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF