By Nathan Ham
The construction of the latest Marriott hotel property in Boone is continuing right along, even with the wettest year on record in Boone and a nearly two-foot snowfall in December.
TownePlace Suites hopes to be open by August of this year and some key inspections on the foundation have already been completed, according to Stacey Miller, Inspections Supervisor with the Town of Boone.
“I have inspected footers, under slab plumbing and under slab electrical,” Miller said. “Weather has been hampering their efforts somewhat.
The original hope was for the hotel to be open by the end of 2018, however the construction delays proved too much to overcome to finish during that timeframe.
Steel beams are going up and the elevator shafts are being completed now. With large construction projects like this in the High Country, it’s a common problem having to deal with rough weather conditions, particularly this time of year.
“The way the permit works is as long as the crews are making progress, the permit stays active. Crews will slow down during the harshest parts of winter and pick back up in the spring,” said John Ward, the Town Manager in Boone.
According to Ward, Marriott is gearing the TownePlace Suites towards providing an extended stay location near Watauga Medical Center. The hotel is located at the intersection of Meadowview Drive and Blowing Rock Road.
“The hospital bought the property across the street from there and they have plans to do an extension to provide outpatient services. As Watauga Medical Center provides services to more and more people from around the region, that hotel was one of those that latched on to that concept of hoping to provide housing for people traveling long distances to come in for medical care,” Ward said.
Photos by Ken Ketchie
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