A new four-story hotel with a total of 57 rooms is being proposed for the corner of America’s Cup Avenue and Long Wharf, where it would abut the Marriott Hotel to the west and north.
The developer, Jeff Farrar of Newport, has applied to the city for a demolition permit to remove the current two-story building that is now home to three retail shops on the first floor: Hooley Re-Sails in the largest space at the corner, The Ball & Claw furniture store on America’s Cup Avenue and the New England Harbour Club on Long Wharf that has closed. Many people remember the building housed The Gap store until a few years ago.
The main occupant on the second floor is the large law office of Corcoran, Peckham, Hayes & Galvin. The building is owned by Long Wharf Holding Company, LLC, whose principals include attorneys and brothers William and Edward “Ned” Corcoran, attorney Patrick O’Neill Hayes Jr., and Mary Ann Houlihan, wife of the late attorney Joseph Houlihan.
The city Planning Board will hear arguments on whether the demolition permit for the building at 31 America’s Cup Ave. should be granted on Monday beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council chamber of City Hall.
“The existing building is in fair condition. However, structurally it does not conform to existing building code, energy code, and flood zone requirements,” the application says. “The building, as currently constructed and configured, would be ill suited for any substantial rehabilitation or modern expansion, most specifically due to the structural requirements and finished floor elevation mandated by the flood zone regulations.”
Farrar, whose company is Farrar Equities, LLC, said the new building would be elevated 13 feet above sea level, as required by current flood-plain regulations, and there would be parking on the ground level below the hotel. The hotel would have 57 parking spaces for guests and an additional three spaces for employees. The hotel will not exceed the city’s 45-foot maximum height for new buildings and will meet all parking requirements, he said.
“We will be building a little jewel box, an upscale boutique hotel,” Farrar said.