White Lodging Services, headquartered in Merrillville, Ind., and REI Real Estate Services, Carmel, Ind., announced the design completion for the $425-million JW Marriott complex in downtown Indianapolis. The dynamic hotel development project will include the city's largest, full-service convention hotel and a total of 1,568 rooms, including 1,000 rooms in the JW Marriott Tower; 250 rooms in the Courtyard by Marriott; 168 rooms in the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott; and 150 rooms in the Springhill Suites by Marriott.
Design plans have changed since the project was unveiled in May 2007. Originally, the JW Marriott was proposed to be a 29-story structure, but now it will stand 373 feet with 34 stories — making it the tallest hotel in Indianapolis and the city's seventh tallest building. The tower will feature a unique, crescent moon shape and it will include a glass curtain wall system with thousands of multicolored glass panels.
"White Lodging and REI have worked tirelessly to create a tremendous design that we believe will be a lasting, dynamic addition to the downtown skyline," says Michael W. Wells, president of REI Real Estate Services, LLC. "Both White Lodging and REI are Indiana companies, and we are thrilled to be involved in one of the biggest hotel development projects in the country."
Architectural renderings showcase the design of the 373-foot JW Marriott tower, which will be located on a 10-acre site overlooking the White River State Park at the southwest corner of West and Washington streets. The JW Marriott will have a 45,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom and include 110,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
The JW Marriott complex will be developed through the partnership of Whiteco Industries Inc., White Lodging Services Corp. and REI Real Estate Services, LLC. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer, with completion in winter 2011. The grand opening will be held in spring 2011.
The economic impact of the massive project is tremendous: generating nearly 500 construction jobs and more than $5 million in sales tax revenue to the state during construction alone. Once completed, the JW Marriott complex will employ more than 1,000 people. The new development is a crucial part of the city's efforts to host the 2012 Super Bowl and future NCAA events.
