BROCKTON — The city has approved the construction of a 120-room hotel on a vacant lot on Christy’s Drive. The developer plans to build a “long-term stay” hotel. Concerned that the hotel could be used to house immigrants, the developer assures that stays over 90 days will not be allowed.
The new hotel would be located at 55 Christy’s Drive, next to the vacant Shields MRI building and across from the Country Inn & Suites by Radisson.
It would be KARM Hospitality’s second hotel in Brockton. The company is currently completing a hotel on Westgate Drive. That property, a 78-room Tru by Hilton, is scheduled to open in early 2025, a company representative said at last Tuesday’s Brockton Zoning Board of Appeals meeting. The company had aimed to open the Tru by Hilton by summer 2024. They plan to complete the current hotel before moving forward with the Christy’s Drive project, the representative said.
Access to Route 24 makes the location ideal
Longtime Brockton attorney Jim Burke also spoke at the meeting on behalf of the developer. He said the target audience is people like traveling nurses and construction workers. “The area, as you know, is unique. It’s right next to the access road to 24 and has great access for a hotel,” Burke told the board, which unanimously approved the project.
Burke argued that the impact on traffic along Pleasant Street would be minimal because people who live there drive to work on Route 24 every morning. The project will cost about $12 million, he said.
A representative for the developer said three extended-stay hotel providers are interested, including Marriott, Hilton and Choice Hotels. Each room will have a kitchenette, as is standard at extended-stay hotels.
Stays are to be extended, but with restrictions
At the Westgate Hotel, the city prohibits people from staying there for more than 28 days. Burke said the developer would agree to a similar ban for Christy’s Drive, but would limit the length of stay to 90 days.
The developer also owns the vacant Shields MRI building. Although the building was renovated in 2018, it quickly fell into disrepair. KARM plans to convert the building into office space.
Fire Chief Brian Nardelli, who sits on the Zoning Board of Appeals, said the building needs to be renovated. “We don’t want to put lipstick on a pig,” Nardelli said.
One of his predecessors in leading Brockton Fire, former fire chief Kenneth Galligan, is chairman of the board. “It looks like the property will be put to good use,” Galligan said.
KARM’s application to the Zoning Board of Appeals included a general depiction of a four-story extended stay hotel that complies with Marriott’s guidelines.
Wondering if there’s a vacant building, construction, or other signs of change in or near Brockton? I’m veteran local reporter Chris Helms, and I’ll help you find out. Email your questions and tips to [email protected] or connect to X at @HelmsNews.
