Tag Archives: Routes 1/9

hotels, motels

Home2 Suites instead of Candlewood Suites

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For at least the third time in about five years, a new hotel brand is line for the corner of East Milton Avenue near Lennington Street and Routes 1/9. Home2 Suites by Hilton will replace Candlewood Suites, a Holiday Inn brand, as the extended stay hotel planned for the site. The Planning Board on Tuesday night approved an amendment to a previous preliminary and final site plan that was granted in the spring.

Home2 Suites by Hilton is a mid-tier, extended stay brand by Hilton hotels, launched in January 2008. A representative of Hilton told the Planning Board that Home2 Suites is a higher-end brand than previously was approved and has higher rates and deeper market penetration. About 55 have been approved nationwide and another 50 are expected in the next year if the economy gets better, he said.

There were few changes to the site plan that gained approval in March, according to Christopher Armstrong, attorney for applicant Family Hospitality Inc. The primary difference is an indoor pool, a requirement of Hilton, he added. The previous site plan called for a 93-unit, four-story structure and prior to that the plan was to build a Sleep Inn.

While the Planning Board approved the plans Tuesday night, city planning officials still must approve specifics, including exterior colors and materials, among other things.

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Planning Board, restaurants, Routes 1/9

New White Castle taking shape

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Construction is under way on a new White Castle and it’s been taking shape along Routes 1/9 North in recent weeks.

Work started at least a month ago but since there was such a good response to the entry about the recent opening of a White Diamond in Rahway, I figured I’d post an update. It was just a matter of getting a good photo of the site without having to play Frogger in the northbound lanes. It turns out that Sunday mornings are a good time.

The Planning Board approved the 36-seat project last year but it was a little tricky to figure out where it was on a Google Map. It’s essentially between the Dunkin’ Donuts and Murphy’s Towing on the northbound side of 1/9, near East Scott Avenue and the southern end of Merck’s facility.

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taxes

Hotel tax revenue spikes

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The city realized about $22,000 more than originally budgeted for hotel tax revenues in the $42-million municipal budget that was passed last month.

The city collected $58,000 in hotel tax revenue, about 61 percent more than the $36,000 originally planned in the 2009 budget, which ends June 30. Sixth Ward Councilman Samson Steinman confirmed the increase with the city administration during last month’s public hearing on the budget. He attributed the boost in revenue from about three months of operation by Hotel Indigo at SkyView, as well as the new Best Western on Paterson Street, off Routes 1&9.

The state imposes a 5-percent hotel tax and municipalities are allowed to impose an additional levy of their own of as much as 3 percent. The hotel tax was created during the McGreevey administration in 2003 and Rahway enacted the local tax effective Nov. 1, 2003.

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hotels, Planning Board, Routes 1/9

Candlewood Suites gets final OK

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The Planning Board last night unanimously gave preliminary major and final site plan approval for a Candlewood Suites at East Milton Avenue and Routes 1/9, next to the Best Western.

Continue reading Candlewood Suites gets final OK →

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Return of White Castle in the works

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Slyders fans, rejoice. The Planning Board last night gave final approval for plans to bring White Castle back to Rahway. The 36-seat eatery, with a drive-through, is planned along Route 1 north near East Scott Avenue.

A White Castle franchise had been located on the highway closer to Milton Avenue but was relocated several years ago to make way for the Routes 1/9 realignment project.

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HoJo likely to replace Kings Inn

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The Kings Inn motel likely will become a Howard Johnson, not a Super 8, with renovations to begin in February at the earliest and last six months. Both are brands of Wyndham Hotels and developers currently are in negotiations but expect HoJo might have more recognition in this area.

Several residents of the adjacent Riverwalk townhouse development appeared before the Planning Board last Tuesday night to question the application and remedy concerns about illicit activity at the site.

Principals of Ratan Rahway, the developer, promised that the new hotel will not accept Section 8 (welfare) housing, as is the case with the Kings Inn. As a franchise, the hotel would be expected twice a year to continue to operate under one of the Wyndham brands.

Plans are to renovate the existing rooms, along with turning the tower in a two-story structure. They expect to invest $800,000 to $900,000 in renovations. While the original two-story structure will not be razed, developers said they plan to have a new facade, roof and all new furniture and amenities in each room, along with eliminating the existing floor-to-ceiling windows, which was a concern for some residents. New fencing also will be erected between the hotel site and adjacent townhouse development.

The property (1360 Route 1/Block 304, Lots 5-6) last changed hands in 2004, when it was purchased for about $1.1 million from LTL Hotel Corp. by The Rahway Tower, LLC, according to PropertyShark.com.

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