Ashtabula To Develop First Hotel in 99 Years

ASHTABULA, OH–The Ohio city of Ashtabula is making a name for itself. It won the America’s Main Streets contest in 2018, and is now putting plans in place to construct a 26-room hotel. The city’s first hotel in nearly 99 years.

This hotel “is unique to the area in that it’s the only upscale boutique hotel right in Ashtabula with immediate proximity to historic Bridge Street and the jumping off point for easy access to Lake Erie recreation, the area’s famed covered bridges and popular wineries,” a spokesperson for the hotel tells GlobeSt.com.

The City Council of Ashtabula unanimously approved a 10 year, 75% tax abatement for the 25,000-square-foot development. The $5 million River Bend Hotel will be located on a vacant land on the corner of W 6th Street and Goodwill Drive, overlooking the Ashtabula Lift Bridge and Lake Erie.

“This hotel development is a significant milestone in Ashtabula history,” said Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere. “We are seeing a rise in jobs and wages in our great county and, once completed, River Bend Hotel will undoubtedly be a huge shot in the arm for further economic advancement through tourism.”

The area is seeing an infusion of tourism thanks to the Lake Erie shoreline, local wineries and the scenic covered bridges. Tourism to Ashtabula County in 2017 brought in nearly $451 million in sales, an increase of $17 million from 2013 and an increase of nearly $100 million since 2009.

After completing a 480-person independent study in the Ohio and Pittsburgh area, it was concluded that attractive lodging options was the missing component to drawing tourists to the area. The only other in-town hotel option was the Hotel Ashtabula, which closed in 1985 and later reopened as a medical office building, according to the spokesperson.

“Our plan is to develop a new property that will accommodate and round-out the needs of tourists to Ashtabula,” said Todd Canter, project manager and co-owner of River Bend Hotel. “Our vision is a regionally-unique destination hotel that blends beautifully into the fabric of the neighborhood and provides a stepping-off point to recreation, covered bridge tours and winery expeditions.”

The hotel will be financed with a $3.1 million loan from Erie Bank as well as public funds from the city and county, and funds from the Ashtabula County 503 Corporation.

Amenities in the boutique hotel will include a first-floor wine bar, a conference room, a fitness center, two connecting family suites. The second through fourth floors will house 24 northeast-facing suites with sitting areas, kitchenettes and views of Lake Erie. Locals and hotel guests will also be able to take advantage of the rooftop wine bar, which will serve drinks from local wineries.

Ground will break this year as soon as weather permits, according to the hotel spokesperson. The plan is for the hotel to open in Q1 2020