By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
AHSWAUBENON – Plans to construct a Cambria Hotel along Mike McCarthy Way cleared some hurdles in the village Tuesday, Feb. 5.
The village’s Site Plan Review Committee and the Plan Commission both backed a site plan for the project, which requires final approval by the village board because it is located within the Sports and Entertainment Zoning District.
The 100-unit, four-story hotel has been proposed on a 1.5-acre lot where an existing concrete building would be demolished east of The Bar.
Amenities within the building would include a fitness room, pool, hot tub and combination breakfast/lounge/bar area for guests.
To make the construction of the hotel possible as sought by the developer, Community Development Director Aaron Schuette noted the village’s site plan and design review ordinance needs to be changed regarding the use of Exterior Insulation Finish System (EIFS) material.
The village code presently doesn’t permit more than 15 percent EIFS per elevation as has been planned for the project.
Schuette said he determined a “good benchmark” to use would be having EFIS not exceed 30 percent of a building’s cumulative wall surface area, a change to which the Plan Commission agreed.
“The 30 percent, again, provides that benchmark based on current, real-world building projects,” he said.
In addition, Schuette pointed out the amendment in no instance would allow any one wall surface elevation to be able to exceed 40 percent EIFS.
The amendment would also not permit EIFS near any loading area or within 10 feet of the finished grade elevation of any multi-story building, while any single-story building would have to include a minimum of 3-foot masonry wainscoting from the finished grade elevation with approved material before EIFS is permitted.
Troy Hoekstra of United Development appeared before both the Site Plan Review Committee and Plan Commission on behalf of the proposed Cambria Hotel and also thanked Schuette for working with him to make the project possible.
“I had left it for dead more than once,” Hoekstra said.
The village board could give the project final approval at its Feb. 26 meeting.