David Cocco, VP of hotel operations for Kratsa, tellsGlobeSt.com it acquired the land, "only about 0.4 acres," from theMount Lebanon Parking Authority for $450,000. Marriott approved theproject on Sept. 13, he says. The ballpark construction cost isabout $9 million, according to Cocco, and the all-in cost,including scraping the parcel and construction of underground hotelparking, is estimated at $11 million.

This is a land-constrained market in one of Pittsburgh's tiniestsuburbs where there are few hotels. This land is across from alight rail station, affording easy access to Downtown Pittsburgh,Station Square and South Hills Village.

Kratsa is a prolific developer and operator of hotels inPittsburgh and the surrounding suburbs and also owns and operatesother classes of commercial and residential real estate. Its hotelportfolio now contains 13 properties, including four SpringHillSuites by Marriott, a Courtyard Marriott, a Fairfield Inn &Suites, a Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, three Holiday Inn Expressassets, a Comfort Inn, a Days Inn and a Super 8 Motel.