St. Paul is getting a new downtown hotel near Xcel Energy Center.
A 160-room Hampton Inn and Suites is going up at 200 W. 7th St., within walking distance of the Xcel, restaurants, museums and the Mississippi River. Opening is scheduled for November, the company said Monday.
The five-story building is supplanting Free at Last Church of God in Christ and is part of an extensive makeover for the block, known in particular for the throwback Seven Corners hardware, which closed in 2014 after 81 years. Scheduled for opening in January in the same block is a project with 11,500 square feet of ground-level retail and 191 apartment units.
The site of the future Hampton Inn "boasts a location that is only steps away from everything that makes St. Paul a great place to visit and conduct business in," Joe Viglietta, chief operating officer for Houston-based corporate parent Vista Host, said in a statement.
Vista Host, which bought the site for $2.9 million, said its plans call for some guest rooms to offer views of the river as well as the Cathedral of St. Paul. The building will have its own garage with valet parking, a fitness center and an indoor pool.
Three meeting rooms can be combined to accommodate up to 180 occupants.
Upon opening, Hampton officials estimate, the hotel will support 40 permanent jobs.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
