Brickell-area Hampton Inn gets go-ahead

The Miami City Commission gave a green light to the construction of
a $50 million, 15-story Hampton Inn & Suites in the Brickell area during its meeting yesterday.

The 221- room hotel at 30 Southwest 12th Street will be the third
Hampton Inn & Suites developed and operated by Bernard Wolfson in
Miami. He hopes to commence construction of the Brickell hotel, which
also includes 8,870 square feet of restaurant space and 1,775 square
feet of retail, in early 2009 and to complete construction by 2010, “in
time for [the] season.”

Wolfson said the Brickell Hampton Inn & Suites will be a “moderately
priced” hotel, offering rates ranging from $125 a night to $250 a
night at peak tourism times, “depending on what the market allows.”

Wolfson says the hotel will also employ 125 “entry level” positions
when completed.

Wolfson purchased the land where Hampton Inn is being developed in
December 2007 for $6 million. Seven years ago, the city of Miami
approved plans for a 29-story, 277-unit apartment building on that
site. “He didn’t seek to max out on that parcel at all,” said
Bernard’s land use attorney, Adrienne Pardo.

Pardo said Bernard is only building one quarter of what he is entitled to
under the city’s zoning code.