Aug 28 2015
Domaine Hospitality Partners, LLC, and representatives from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Foursome Development Co., and the City of Pacific Grove, California, announced the launch of Project Bella at a press conference in Pacific Grove.
Developed by Domaine Hospitality Partners, Project Bella will be located across the street from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station at the site of the American Tin Cannery, at the end of historic Cannery Row. Now in planning with world-renowned architect Mark Hornberger of Hornberger+Worstell, Project Bella aims to be the leading luxury hotel in the U.S.
Speaking from the future site of the sustainability-focused hotel, Founder and Executive Director Julie Packard of the Monterey Bay Aquarium spoke of how Project Bella intersects with the aquarium’s mission: “We all look out over one of the world’s great ocean stories. Economic boom built on extracting the ocean’s resources can now be converted and transformed into a new story of something more sustainable for humans and animals for the long term.”
“Success for this building was built on sardines, as we all know. Success for the Bella project is going to be built on guests from around the world appreciating and caring for this amazing Bay,” said Packard.
Project Bella plans to offer 160 rooms and suites, all with ocean views. Rooms will be designed, built, and furnished to the highest levels of luxury and to a standard shared by only a very few of the world’s best hotels. The hotel will include conference and meeting facilities targeted to private meetings at the executive level and for symposia and events in support of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Hopkins Marine Station, and visitors to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
“It’s going to be one of the most magnificent hotels ever built on the waterfront,” said Ted Balestreri, managing partner of Foursome Development Company. Balestreri also spoke of the importance of keeping the Marine Sanctuary clean, safe, and accessible, so that people learn to love and respect it.
Project Bella’s development plan calls for recognition of the Monterey Peninsula’s environmental heritage through a state-of-the-art sustainable design that will achieve LEED Platinum certification. According to the U.S. Green Building Council there are only two LEED Platinum hotels certified in the U.S.
“My partners and I have been dreaming about building one of the leading iconic hotels in the US and maybe the world. We believe we will drive significant additional visitors to the Monterey Peninsula, benefitting all businesses,” said Ron Meer, president and CEO of Domaine Hospitality Partners. “Additionally, we look forward to being a meaningful contributor to the marine research community by supporting great efforts underway in the Monterey National Marine Sanctuary and by being strong supporters of ocean sustainability, preservation, and protection.”
Mayor Bill Kampe of Pacific Grove described how the hotel site chosen in Pacific Grove is perfect for the project. “On one side you’ve got 4.5 million visitors per year to Cannery Row. And on the other side sits Pacific Grove with 4 miles of the most beautiful shoreline in the state of California. Project Bella will sit directly at that intersection,” said Kampe.
Domaine Hospitality Partner’s principals have extensive hotel, general construction, and development experience. On the Monterey Peninsula, their projects have included the Residences at Spanish Bay at the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach and the Nicklaus Club in Monterey (formerly the Pasadera Country Club). Regionally, projects include the historic Hayes Mansion in Santa Clara, the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, and the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara. California projects include the Hyatt Regency and Hilton hotels in Huntington Beach, the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Indian Wells, and a number of renovations of historic hotels in San Francisco.
For more information, visit www.domainehotels.com.
Source: http://www.domainehotels.com/