Plans for 121-room Marriott-branded hotel in DeKalb approved

DeKALB – A 121-room Marriott-branded hotel is headed to DeKalb after approval by the DeKalb City Council.

The petitioner, EO5 Hotels represented by Pramit Patel, sought approval for rezoning and some waivers to city code to allow the development of a hotel on 2.5 acres at 902 Peace Road, right between the Bumper to Bumper auto parts store and Fast Stop Express gas station.

Once built, about half the hotel rooms will be branded as Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott, and the other half will be TownPlace Suites by Marriott, city documents show. The building, however, would share the same pool, front desk, lobby, parking lot and meeting room.

The addition of this is just great from a tourism perspective, too, especially because of Northern Illinois University.”

—  DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes

City Manager Bill Nicklas said he is excited about plans for a new hotel on the city’s east side.

“The hotel brings not only new options for visitors in our area, especially those who are Marriott-loyal customers,” Nicklas said. “It’s going to increase, of course, property tax and hotel/motel tax, which helps out other taxing bodies as well. It will also encourage more commercial development.

“A hotel is often a spur to that along this corridor. It’s an important corridor. There are opportunities. There’s acreage that can be developed for other commercial purposes.”

The property, which is under contract to be sold to the petitioner, requires City Council approval of rezoning from heavy industrial district to planned development industrial district, as the way it is now zoned would not permit the hotel, city documents show.

Nicklas said the hotel’s proximity to the Interstate 88 tollway may prove to be beneficial to the project.

“Because it’s within 3 miles of I-88, it will, under tollway rules, have its own sign on the tollway,” Nicklas said. “All those are pluses for our community.”

DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes lauded the petitioner’s proposal, saying that it’s a welcome development.

“The addition of this is just great from a tourism perspective, too, especially because of Northern Illinois University,” Barnes said.

Sixth Ward Alderman Mike Verbic echoed that sentiment.

“The neighbors and visitors to the Ward 6 locations of Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites have been very pleased,” Verbic said. “We look forward to your continuing investment in DeKalb.”

Project leaders anticipate starting construction on the hotel in spring 2024, with an opening date targeted in summer 2025, city documents show.