New 121-room Marriott-branded hotel could be coming to DeKalb

DeKALB – A petitioner wants to build a 121-room Marriott-branded hotel along Peace Road in DeKalb, according to a proposal set to go before city officials Monday for its first review.

The request is set to go before the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission during its regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St., according to city documents.

Petitioner Pramit Patel, who represents hospitality management company EO5 Hotels, is asking the city to approve a rezoning request to allow for the hotel to be built at 902 Peace Road in the Airport North Industrial Park, documents show. Approval also would need to come from the DeKalb City Council in order to move forward.

City staff are recommending approval of the development request, documents show. City staff said the hotel also would generate increased hotel/motel and property tax revenue for the city and surrounding areas.

“The project is also meeting the goals of clustering new commercial development at strategic arterial and collector crossroads,” staff wrote in the development request. “The development of the hotel should be a catalyst for further commercial development along the Peace Road corridor. The hotel will be the only one along Peace Road in DeKalb and will help serve the growing ChicagoWest Business Center and Meta Data Center to the south.”

The four-story hotel would sit between the Bumper to Bumper auto parts store, 950 N. Peace Road, and the Fast Stop Express gas station along the east side of Peace Road, north of Pleasant Street, according to city documents. The parking plan includes 136 parking spots, including six spaces that are handicapped-accessible, according to the petition. City code requires 127 parking spaces, one for every hotel room.

Dave Swigart, CEO and general manager of the nearby business ConservFS, which owns Fast Stop Express, also supports the hotel development, according to a letter he sent to the city of DeKalb.

“We believe the proposed project will have a positive impact on the local economy,” Swigart wrote in an April 17 email to City Planner Dan Olson.

Patel is no stranger to the hospitality industry, according to the city. Patel also owns and operates the Hampton Inn, 663 S. Annie Glidden Road, and Home2Suites, 572 S. Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb.

Of the 121 rooms in the proposed new hotel, 60 rooms would be branded as Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott for standard stay guests, and 61 would be branded as TownePlace Suites by Marriott for extended stays, development plans show.

Both suites would share the same building, parking lot, lobby, front desk, meeting room and swimming pool, according to the city.