YAKIMA, Wash.—Washington-based developer, Wilkinson Development, LLC (WD) broke ground on Elliot Park Hotel, a new Marriott Autograph Collection luxury full-service hotel in downtown Minneapolis, on Tuesday, August 1. Wilkinson Development is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wilkinson Corporation.
The total hotel project cost is estimated at $50 million. On June 30, 2017, WD closed on the acquisition of the hotel development site and will continue to oversee project construction, with an anticipated opening date in late summer/early fall 2018.
The Elliot Park Hotel will be a 168-room, eight-story hotel in one of Minneapolis’ oldest downtown neighborhoods. It will offer more than 2,300 square feet of high-end event space and boardrooms, a fireside lounge, fitness center, valet, concierge, and luxury guest rooms. The hotel is located near the convention center and other event venues, like the U.S. Bank Stadium. The hotel will also have a farm-to-table Italian restaurant, Tavola.
The hotel is part of a larger block redevelopment that includes: the new corporate headquarters of Kraus-Anderson, one of WD’s partners and the project site’s master developer and general contractor; a 17-story residential apartment tower currently underway; a microbrewery; outdoor common areas; and underground parking.
Wilkinson Corporation CEO, Lonnie Gienger, describes the team’s work on the hotel as, “a highly complex, and rewarding endeavor.” He adds, “A project of this magnitude and complexity requires consistent vision, perseverance, and building solid relationships with a long list of skilled partners. We were blessed to find, and now work with, a number of major players who are absolutely at the top of their industry, including the architect, general contractor, construction team, branding and marketing team, hotel operator, lenders, and others. The hotel’s successful completion stands on the development of these relationships with best-in-class partners as much as the development of the best possible quality physical plant. Building quality, long-term relationships is one of our core values and a hallmark of Wilkinson Corporation’s more than 25-year history.”
Kraus-Anderson is the general contractor for the hotel and ESG Architecture & Design is the designer, with a portfolio of projects in Minneapolis, including the Aloft Hotel by Starwood, the W Hotel, Foshay Tower, and the Renaissance Marriott Hotel at the Depot, along with the Sheraton Hotel and Condominiums in Duluth, Minn. Company B, a Marriott Autograph Collection preferred branding agency, created the hotel’s brand.
The intent of the Elliot brand is to embody the Danish feeling of “hygge,” as Company B explains, “to make every day more beautiful, special and meaningful…in the collectiveness of quiet moments, sincere engagement and special touches that leave a sense of calm satisfaction.”
The Elliot Park Hotel will be operated by Coury Hospitality, best known for its Ambassador Hotel Collection of Marriott-branded boutique hotels, restaurants, bars, event spaces, and service. With five additional Autograph Collection hotels underway, Coury Hospitality’s geographic reach will expand from Oklahoma and Kansas, to include Texas, Minnesota, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
Gienger says: “I’m proud of the tenacity of the Wilkinson Development team and our broader corporate team, for all the people who pushed this forward and put in the untold hours of work to accomplish a successful funding of this project that is now ready to go vertical. I’m also proud that through our efforts we will be adding value to the Elliot Park community of Minneapolis. This hotel will provide a world-class hospitality environment offering meaningful and memorable experiences for the people of Minneapolis, as well as travelers from around the world. And we can say ‘we helped make that happen.’”
