Demolition Ceremony to Mark Start of GREEN
Focused Condominium Hotel
March 14, 2008
The first luxury condominium hotel in the Centre Region will be one step closer to becoming a reality when demolition of the former Lowe's warehouse on Waddle Road begins next week. A ceremony marking the start of demolition and beginning of construction of The "P" Hotel and Spa – the first luxury condominium hotel for the Centre Region and only the second GOLD LEED certified hotel in the United States - will be held on Monday, March 17, 2008 at 4:00 pm inside of the empty warehouse.
County Commissioner Jon Eich and Centre County Recycling Director Joanne Shafer will be on hand to swing the ceremonial sledgehammer on this lifestyle center that will bring an estimated 800 new jobs to the area and will be set the standard for environmental design and community-conscious development. Representatives from Patton Township and the Central Pennsylvania Visitors and Convention Bureau will take part in the ceremony.
"We made a concerted effort to bring a community oriented focus in the development of this project" said Ben Heim, CEO of Tricore Group, LLC. "It's easy to be awed by the luxury features of this project but it's also about supporting our environment and supporting our community."
The "P" Hotel and Spa is slated to open in late summer 2009 as the first luxury condominium hotel in the area commonly referred to as Happy Valley. The design team will apply for GOLD LEED certification on the project, a rating that indicates environmentally superior design, building practices, and operations.
"Nothing at the existing Lowe's site will be wasted" said John Heim, President. "The glass, the steel, the asphalt will all be taken off site, recycled and then brought back for our use. Our owners and guests will know that they are being treated to luxury in a setting that makes the most of our environmental resources."
The facility will include 100 luxury hotel suites within walking distance of shopping and less than 5 miles from downtown State College, Penn State University and University Park Airport. One, two, and three bedroom elegantly furnished suites will be for sale to private owners who may then elect to participate in a rental program. Fred Fernsler, AIA of State College, Pa., is the architect for the project. Susan Brown of Spaces Design Center, also of State College, Pa., is leading the interior design team. The "P" will feature a 9000 square foot spa, specialty restaurant, and meeting and banquet space. The design team has included features that will enhance the guest experience - top quality Meile appliances and exquisite furnishings - while at the same time creating an environmentally superior setting. Environmentally friendly paints, carpets, and lighting, to name a few, will add to the quality of the smoke free environment.
Bruce Heim and sons, John Heim and Ben Heim, of Tricore Group, LLC, are partnering with John and Doug Wolf of Wolf Furniture Enterprises, Michael, Richard and Leonard Fiore of Leonard S. Fiore, Inc., and Mark DiSanto of Triple Crown Corporation, on The "P" Hotel and Spa.