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January 13, 2009

Comfort Inn complex to reopen by summer

Plans call for reopening burned-out hotel in stages

BY DAN HEATH

PLATTSBURGH -- The owners of the Comfort Inn hope to have the entire complex open sometime this summer.

Co-owner Terry Meron said plans call for the grand ballroom, Perkins Restaurant and Legends Sports Bar to reopen in May.

Meron is shooting to reopen the rest of the complex a few months after that.

"This is actually exciting," he said. "I've been waiting for almost two months."

DEMOLITION
Work is under way to demolish and remove most of the health club, pool, lobby, four hotel rooms above it, meeting rooms and seven whirlpool hotel rooms.

In addition, five hotel rooms above the ballroom will require an interior rebuild.

Demolition work is being done by a crew from Mousseau Development.

Meron said that part should be done by the end of the week. One reason it will be that quick is the complex was made of wood, which is easier to tear down.

"It comes down a lot faster than it goes up," Meron said.

SALVAGEABLE
There was no fire damage in three buildings, which contain 96 total hotel rooms, Meron said, but some units in two of those buildings did suffer smoke and water damage.

The restaurant, sports bar and ballroom also escaped heavy damage.

Plans need to receive approval from the Town of Plattsburgh Planning Department before construction can begin.

CHANGES PLANNED
The new construction will be built of steel and concrete, all two stories. Meron has already conceptually laid out the location of the pieces.

Initial plans call for the lobby to remain in its previous location, with a breakfast area and meeting rooms to the right as you look inside. Some hotel rooms will be located above those areas.

The front desk will be in a new location. That will allow space to make the swimming pool larger.

"We're looking to make a small indoor water park," Meron said.

It will have two flume-type water slides and a spray park with six water features.

The health club will also be significantly larger, Meron said. There will be a hot tub and sauna in each locker room.

The second floor of the health club will have an indoor track. Windows across the front of the cardio-fitness room will allow users to look out over Route 3 toward Lake Champlain.

"The building has been renovated so many times. This will allow us to start over with a clean slate," Meron said. "We can eliminate some of the design flaws."

One example is the elevator that used to open into Perkins Restaurant will be moved to a new location. Bathrooms will be located closer to the restaurant.

JOBS
Meron said about 50 people remain on the payroll, about half of the staff at the time of the fire. Some are working as on-site security, while others have been involved in cleanup efforts.

Most of the construction will be done by subcontractors, which will help speed the process. Meron is still lining up companies for that work.

The Comfort Inn complex was heavily damaged in a large fire that started around noon on Nov. 15, 2008. About 100 firefighters from 16 fire departments battled the fire, one of the largest in Clinton County history.

dheath@pressrepublican.com

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