Ambrosino Pulls Back Zoning Ordinance, Calls for Hotel Study

By Seth Daniel

A potentially contentious zoning proposal from City Manager Tom Ambrosino to prevent all but one hotel from locating in the Second Street area and the adjoining industrial areas has been pulled back.

A zoning hearing on the matter had been scheduled for this month, but Ambrosino pulled his proposal off the table this week to do a study of the local hotel industry.

He said pulling the zoning proposal would not have any bearing on a hotel project that is seeking approval for a location on Second Street, and a project that has elicited mixed reactions from other City leaders.

“We have deferred the zoning hearing on my proposal,” said Ambrosino. “We want to do a hotel study. I don’t feel we know the industry well enough to know how many rooms we can absorb. There are a lot of proposals floating around.”

He said there are several potential areas where more hotels could locate. Right now, the City has three hotels in operation and a fourth getting ready to open in March, the Homewood Suites on Carter Street. A fifth hotel is proposed by the same company building the Homewood Suites at the Revere/Chelsea line.

The Second Street hotel proposal is also currently seeking approvals.

Ambrosino pointed to the waterfront study that is ongoing and the potential for more hotels desiring to locate there.

“I think before we do anything it’s important to know how many rooms the city can absorb and what amount is right and where would hotels make sense,” he said.

He anticipated the study would be completed in six months from its beginning.

 

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