Willow Street Capital, a Miami-based real estate sponsor, plans to open a new 11 story hotel directly behind Meg O’Malleys in Downtown Melbourne.

The first story will be the reception area and a coffee lounge with some parking to be available, the next three stories will be dedicated to parking, the six middle floors will be space for 156 rooms and the top floor will be a ballroom/lounge being able to divide into three separate rooms for meeting space.

“There will be a rooftop kitchen to prepare small plates and banquets for parties and meetings,” Miguel Rivera co-founder of Willow Street Capital said.

The levels of parking will provide increased of parking for the downtown area.

“The first level will have some 30 spots open to the public and guests,” Rivera said. “Although the higher levels of parking will be more available if the hotel is not fully the booked. The top floor of city hall parking garage will be used for our employee parking as well as guest parking when the floors of parking are full.”

Rivera said the project will benefit local business will benefit local businesses.

“During construction with the say 200-plus construction workers they will need to eat whether it is for lunch or they are going home after work,” Rivera said. “And then once the hotel is finished the employees and the people staying there will have access to a variety of stores and restaurants to shop and eat at. That is one of the reasons we chose this location because of the surrounding amenities.”

Rivera said the hotel will have an overall positive impact on the surrounding businesses, through the money not only invested in the construction of the hotel but in the minimum of 50 fulltime jobs being offered and property taxes that will be paid.

Sheila Pavlick, owner of Mustard’s Last Stand, said the hotel will bring nothing but good effects to the business.

“Mustard’s distance from the location is good because it is in walking distance and the Chicago Style restaurant it is attracts people to it,” Pavlick said.

Both Rivera and Pavlick say the new hotel will positively impact not only the communities business but the property values of those businesses.

By Luca Sullivan