Downtown Hotel Gives Sneak Preview into Bedroom Design
By: Eugene Daniel
Updated: October 30, 2012
PEORIA- Downtown Peoria's former Pere Marquette hotel is starting to look like a hotel again on the inside.
The $44 million project is still underway to transform the Pere Marquette into a full service Marriott hotel. However, if you take a trip to upstairs, you'll catch a glimpse into the future.
"It's like you walk-in through this construction and then all of sudden you walk into what's a brand new room," said developer Gary Matthews.
Fifty rooms are assembled as though it were opening day. Last week, Marriott representatives approved the project's model rooms, which means the rest of the rooms can now be put together.
"Now, we move on to the common areas, the I-D, interior decorating, areas now have to be approved," Matthews said.
Matthews expects all of the bedrooms should be completed by December. Matthews says the target completion date is April 30, 2013.
According to the city, Matthews could face thousands of dollars in fines, if the hotel wasn't open by March. Mathews said he's prepared to take the penalty.
"With a project like this you have to look at milestones. Got to look at one step and the other. And the steps are starting to be faster," he said.
The $44 million project is still underway to transform the Pere Marquette into a full service Marriott hotel. However, if you take a trip to upstairs, you'll catch a glimpse into the future.
"It's like you walk-in through this construction and then all of sudden you walk into what's a brand new room," said developer Gary Matthews.
Fifty rooms are assembled as though it were opening day. Last week, Marriott representatives approved the project's model rooms, which means the rest of the rooms can now be put together.
"Now, we move on to the common areas, the I-D, interior decorating, areas now have to be approved," Matthews said.
Matthews expects all of the bedrooms should be completed by December. Matthews says the target completion date is April 30, 2013.
According to the city, Matthews could face thousands of dollars in fines, if the hotel wasn't open by March. Mathews said he's prepared to take the penalty.
"With a project like this you have to look at milestones. Got to look at one step and the other. And the steps are starting to be faster," he said.
