Rochester DoubleTree closing for guests as renovation from hotel to dorm starts

Jeff Kiger, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·1 min read

Oct. 3—ROCHESTER — The final guests in the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown are finishing their stay as the hotel closes to be renovated into a University of Minnesota dorm.

Avra Corporate Director of PR and Marketing Michelle Milde said that the final guests are checking out and no more reservations will be accepted.

However, two tenants — Café Steam and

Pescara

restaurant — in the building at 150 S. Broadway Ave. will remain open for business during construction. The front entrance will remain open for business access and special events.

"We really value those partnerships and what they bring to downtown," said Milde.

The

University of Minnesota will lease nine floors

of the 34-year-old DoubleTree Hotel to renovate about 200 rooms to provide 400 freshman student housing beds as well as gathering, dining and recreational space. Upperclass UMR students will continue to be housed in downtown apartments in 318 Commons and Residence at Discovery Square. The dorms are expected to open in fall 2023.

The university is leasing floors three to 11 for $3.06 million annually for 12 years with the gross rent increasing 1.75% a year. The deal includes the university paying a pro-rated share of real estate taxes and utilities, which is estimated at $1.01 million for the first year.

The hotel, which is managed by Andy Chafoulias' Avra Hospitality, would be required to make an estimated $7.63 million in renovations "to convert it from its current use as a hotel into a student housing and dining facility with ancillary recreational space."