CORNING, N.Y. (WENY) -- Construction on the long-delayed Hilton Garden Inn is coming together. After a near two year delay, work continues at the former Days Inn location, which was demolished back in 2014 in hopes of better suiting the area.
"They wanted something that was more the direction of the community," says Barbara Purvis, President and Director of Essex Hotel Management, who is overseeing the project. "Particularly with the museum just down the street [and] all the things going on downtown and along Bridge Street."
Officials have called the project a major investment in the Northside.
The 125 room hotel will feature a restaurant, full fitness center, indoor pool and several meeting rooms.
"[The Northside] has been under a lot of renovation and changes over the past couple of years. So we're very excited about having the Hilton Garden Inn as part of that," says Barbara Whitman, Director of Communications and Marketing for Corning's Gaffer District. "It'll be great exposure, getting people into the community, tourism, it's going to be great for the Gaffer District and all of this region."
Crews are hard at work both in and outside of the hotel. With it expected to be completed in June of 2018, the community is excited to have it ready just in time for summer.
"We have a calendar full of events this summer, so it's perfect timing for tourists to come in and stay in a brand new beautiful hotel right in the heart of Corning," says Whitman. "It's great for local businesses as well. We have a of businesses on the Northside of Corning that are very excited."
The hotel's management company says with everything on track, they expect the space to become an asset not only for Corning, but also for the region's entire tourism industry.
"We're excited about it [and] we certainly hope the community is as well," says Purvis. "We think it will be a great addition and we hope to be a good neighbor."