BRISTOL, CT –
Thursday, July 28, 2011 – A ground breaking ceremony was held on
Thursday July
28, 2011 celebrating the multi-million dollar renovation and expansion
of the
hotel located on Century Drive in Bristol, Connecticut.
“The momentum in Bristol is
building. As a businessman, I see the vast potential and exciting
future
of this great City. Today we are here to officially celebrate our role
in
Bristol’s renaissance,” said Dr. Gerald A. Niznick, DMD, MSC, owner of
the
hotel.
Earlier this year,
Dr. Niznick announced plans for the renovation and expansion of
the 120 room full-service
hotel. The construction project will include a new suite tower,
along
with renovations to the existing guest rooms, public areas, conference
and
banquet space and restaurant. Plans call for a new
outdoor patio area adjacent to the banquet hall and broadening of
restaurant
operations to accommodate breakfast, lunch and dinner service.
Celebrating
the groundbreaking of a hotel expansion and renovation are (l to r)
William
Mascetti of ACG North America, Inc.;
State Representative Frank N. Nicastro;
Karen Whitman of Hilton Worldwide; James Frenis of Prestige Hospitality
Group;
Mayor Arthur Ward of Bristol; Dr. Gerald Niznick and Reesa Niznick,
hotel
owners; and Michael Nicastro of the Central Connecticut Chambers of
Commerce.
Karen L. Whitman, Director of Franchise Development for Hilton
Worldwide
attended the ground breaking ceremony. Ms. Whitman officially
announced
that the hotel has received approval as a DoubleTree by Hilton.
The
transition to the Hilton brand will take place in the coming year.
Arthur J. Ward, Mayor of Bristol, was on hand for the groundbreaking
ceremony. In his remarks, Mayor Ward thanked Dr. Niznick for his
investment, stating, “Thank you for sharing our vision for this
community. We agree this community is in a renaissance.”
As part of the ceremony, Dr.
Niznick, a world renowned prosthodontist and a leading entrepreneur of
implant
dentistry, presented donations to Bristol Hospital and the Bristol Boys
and
Girls Club.
“Together we look with
anticipation upon an even brighter future for this hotel and the
community as a
whole,” remarked Dr. Niznick.
A complete renovation program is
planned for the hotel, including guest rooms and public areas and
construction
of a new suite tower. The construction is expected to be
completed in
approximately 14 months. The project is
designed to attract additional business travelers, corporate meetings
and
conferences, while still appealing to local demand for banquets and
guest
rooms. Construction activities will be phased to minimize
disruptions
during renovation activities.
The hotel owners have selected
ACG North America, Inc. of Bristol as the design-build firm.
Signature
Architects of Chelmsford, Massachusetts and Parker Torres Design of
Wayland,
Massachusetts will provide architectural and interior design services.
Prestige
Hospitality Group serves as the hotel management company.
The full-service hotel, located
on Century Drive in Bristol, was first built in 1988. Hotel
amenities
currently include an indoor swimming pool, fitness center and sauna,
meeting
rooms, and a full-service restaurant and lounge. Jillian’s
Restaurant and
Lounge has been a favorite among local residents and business
travelers.
The 7,000 square feet of banquet and
meeting space is one of the largest facilities of its kind in
central Connecticut. Dr. Niznick, and his business venture,
Bristol
Hotel, LLC, have owned the hotel for the past nine years.