Merrimack hotel purchased; major renovations planned

Released Thursday, May 5, 2011

By JAKE BERRY Staff Writer

MERRIMACK – Located several miles from the Merrimack Premium Outlets mall currently under construction, a new hotel will greet shoppers when they come to town.

The Fairfield Inn, which closed its doors in recent days, will reopen this fall as a fully renovated Holiday Inn Express, according to officials from the Roedel Cos., which purchased the hotel this week.

Drawn by the location of the building, as well as the mall project, among other developments, company officials completed the deal Monday. They plan to get to work over the coming weeks, remodeling the hotel rooms as well as the lobby area, according to David Roedel, lead partner of the development company.

The developers intend to add new exercise and business facilities, as well. But they’ll leave the building’s colonial architecture largely untouched, Roedel said Wednesday afternoon.

“It’ll be modern in a traditional way,” he said with a laugh. “What we’re excited about is the opportunity to modernize (the building) from the inside out, but also preserving its classic appeal. … It’s really a great building.”

The hotel, on Amherst Road, will remain closed through the construction process, Roedel said. Once the building reopens, customers will find expanded, modern facilities that suit business and leisure travelers, he said.

The hotel will include expanded breakfast space, Roedel said, adding doorways to the hotel’s 110 rooms will be widened to meet federal accessibility standards and each room will include new bathrooms, flat-screen televisions and Internet access.

“We’ll be reorganizing a lot of the space to get the most out of it,” he said.

The changing landscape outside of the hotel will benefit travelers, as well, Roedel said.

The outlet mall, under construction off Exit 10 of the turnpike, will provide top-level shopping opportunities, Roedel said, and the Manchester Airport Access Road, set to open this fall, will provide direct access to the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.

“It’s a really great location for a hotel,” he said. “In Merrimack, in particular, we like the fact there are good corporate-based businesses there. … It’s a good opportunity for us.”

The purchase is the latest for the Wilton-based development officials. Roedel officials, who own and operate hotels across the state, bought the former Clarion Hotel in Manchester in January. When the opportunity arose to add the Merrimack location to their holdings, they couldn’t resist – despite the tough economy, Roedel said.

ROK Builders, a subsidiary of Roedel Cos., will be conducting the $2 million renovation project, he said.

“The hotel industry was really hurt badly in 2009 and 2010, like the overall economy,” he said, declining to reveal the price tag. “But this really was an opportunity to come in and buy at a good price.”

And it’s a deal that could benefit the town, as well, according to Paul Micali, the interim town manager.

“Local companies will start thriving since consumers are continuing to find reasons to exit the highway and spend money in Merrimack,” he said in a written statement.

Jake Berry can be reached at 594-6402 or jberry@nashuatelegraph.com.