Jun. 3—The effort to build a hotel in the city of Norwich is moving forward.

Development Chenango Corporation, an economic development agency within Commerce Chenango Inc., has announced the next phase of its Hotel Norwich initiative. DCC announced a year ago that it was in the process of purchasing 14-16 S. Broad St. in Norwich, a nearly vacant building, for the purpose of developing a boutique hotel, according to a media release.

"When I began my tenure at Commerce Chenango in August of 2019, this was the number one request among the corporations and business owners that I met with," Commerce Chenango President and CEO Kerri Green said in the release. "It wasn't long before I met Mike and Dan O'Reilly and we began looking for a way to match their plans from 2016 to what might be available in the community. The former SUNY Morrisville Building, located in the center of downtown Norwich, was available and after careful review, had the structure necessary for this project."

DCC closed on the purchase in August 2020 and since then, the release said, Green and her staff have been working to find a way to make the project happen. "We considered a capital campaign to raise money for building improvements, which we hoped would attract a serious developer. We spoke with area businesses, consulted with our regional partners and state associations to identify possible funding streams," she said. "When we found out that our DRI application had been identified as a finalist for the 10-million-dollar award (2021), we switched gears."

Although the final DRI awards have yet to be awarded, the Hotel Norwich was an anchor project within the original application and is in the running for a possible allocation, according to the release.

In April, DCC sent out a formal Request for Qualifications, seeking to identify a developer and operator for the hotel project, from development to construction and ultimately operations. After reviewing submitted proposals, the DCC Board of Directors awarded the project to Mike and Dan O'Reilly, owners of Principle Design Engineering.

"The approval from DCC allows us to enter into an agreement with Principle Design Engineering to develop and ultimately operate the hotel," Green said. "We will lease them the building for up to 15 years, at the end of which they will own the property outright. The agreement gives the O'Reillys one year to secure the funding necessary to get the project off the ground."

"The Hotel Norwich project has been an integral part of our professional plans since 2016," said Michael O'Reilly. "To us it's a necessary component for Norwich, required to not only support the resilient business and job market, but to also position our community for future success. Without this project we collectively risk losing what's made us so enduring. We passionately believe that a uniquely crafted, boutique hotel with a distinct personality, can not only draw outside visitors, but would also extensively support our current festivals, events, recreation, and business community. This agreement with DCC strengthens this initiative and provides viability."

"This project is a significant investment into the city of Norwich and the ripple effect of this will be felt throughout the county," Green said. "The 'Hotel Norwich' project is a perfect example of what can happen when you work together with your local community and business owners."