DETROIT (WWJ) -- One of Detroit’s oldest neighborhoods is in the midst of a major revitalization, and it’s now set to get a new 227-room hotel.
Construction crews are set to break ground this week on the new Godfrey Hotel in Corktown, a seven-story development along Michigan Avenue featuring first-class amenities, including what will be the city’s largest rooftop lounge.
The Godfrey, which will be situated between Trumbull and Eighth Street, is expected to open at some point in 2023. It will have a soft brand affiliation with Hilton’s Curio Collection.
Oxford Capital Group and metro-Detroit-based Hunter Pasteur are beginning work on the hotel in Corktown, which has seen an influx of new development announcements in recent years. It will be located just a few blocks from Ford’s new billion-dollar innovation campus at the Michigan Central Station.
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Officials say the new project will create an estimated 200-300 construction jobs, as well as up to 200 new part-time and full-time jobs that will include a 401(k) and health insurance, with pay starting at $17 per hour.
The developers are partnering with the city’s Detroit at Work Program as the hotel’s priority staffing partner to ensure at least 25% of the jobs go to Detroit residents.
The Godfrey is set to house I|O, Detroit’s largest indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge, offering expansive views of downtown Detroit and Corktown. The new development will also feature a ground-floor, chef-driven restaurant with a distinctive lobby bar, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a 5,500-square-foot grand ballroom that will be able to accommodate more than 350 guests.
“We are excited to achieve this important milestone as we continue our strategic national investment, development and acquisition activities while simultaneously growing our lifestyle Godfrey hotel brand throughout the country,” said John W. Rutledge, founder, chairman and CEO of the Chicago-based Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC.
Rutledge, a University of Michigan alum, says he’s been watching Detroit closely since his days as a student, and he’s “impressed by the remarkable transformation that has occurred downtown.
“We look forward to adding to this momentum and delivering a stunning physical product, as well as Oxford’s unique brand of hospitality to this beautiful and dynamic city as Detroit and the country continue their post-pandemic recovery over the next several years,” he said.
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Randy Werthmeier, president and CEO of the Farmington Hills-based Hunter Pasteur says Corktown “has become synonymous with phenomenal food and drink and is home to an emerging business core.”
“The Godfrey Hotel will fill a real need in this neighborhood, and we’re so thrilled to bring this national hotel brand to our hometown,” Werthmeier said. “We look forward to the Godfrey becoming a staple of the city and Corktown community, not just because of the hotel, but also the exciting F&B venues we are developing, including the lobby bar, restaurant, rooftop lounge, and ballroom, which we hope will all become important destination venues for locals and travelers alike to Detroit.”
More photo renderings of the Godfrey Hotel can be found on the Hunter Pasteur website.
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