A new hotel planned for the west side of Columbus has cleared its first hurdle in the approval process.
AGS Columbus, led by local entrepreneur Amit Patel, received initial approval from the Columbus plan commission last week for its plan to develop a Fairfield Inn and Suites.
The proposed four-story hotel would be located on the west end of the Merchants Mile cul-de-sac and would sit north of the new Chevrolet of Columbus dealership.
The hotel would have 96 rooms and 2,000 square feet of conference space, Patel told commissioners. As the owner of the local La Quinta Inn and Suites, Patel is already invested in the local hospitality industry.
He owns multiple hotels and sandwich shops, including the Jimmy John’s franchise in Columbus and a new Smash Burger in Hamilton County. Additionally, he and his business partner, Dipesh Sitaram, own Dental Solutions practices in both Columbus and Avon.
Patel’s plan for the Fairfield Inn include a request for a 75-foot sign with the hotel’s name that would be visible from Interstate 65.
Developers of the neighboring Chevrolet of Columbus petitioned the plan commission for a similar sign, and their request was finally granted late last year after months of debate.
Patel said he chose to include the interstate sign in his plan for the hotel to keep the option for the sign open as the construction process is ongoing.
However, if the 75-foot sign is ultimately not needed to increase visibility of the hotel, Patel said he will eliminate the interstate sign from his plan and instead use wall signs on the four sides of the hotel to draw attention to the building.
If AGS Columbus receives all of the necessary approvals and permits, Patel said he hopes to begin construction on the Fairfield Inn this summer.
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Fairfield Inn and Suites
Developer: AGS Columbus, led by Amit Patel
Where: West end of the Merchants Mile cul-de-sac; north of the new Chevrolet of Columbus property
Number of rooms: 96
Meeting space: 2,000 square feet
Parking spaces: 117, including five handicapped spaces
Construction timeline: Work could start this summer
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