Round Hotel renovation, sparks downtown innovation

The Four Point by Sheraton Tallahassee Downtown announced last week that they will be starting construction on its multi-million dollar project of the Tallahassee’s round hotel. The former Holiday Inn building, which has been a city landmark since 1969, will now be the city’s first hotel certified by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Program. According to a press release from the city of Tallahassee, “The certification will be the Four Point brand’s first LEED- certified hotel in the world and will represent a dedicated focus to responsible building and development practices, ensuring the facility is positioned to have a positive impact on the environment.” “The renovation of this iconic hotel property has provided us with a unique opportunity to not only restore a city landmark, but also set a new standard for sustainable re-development with the city of Tallahassee,” said Peter Walstra, director of operations of Union Hotel Company Tallahassee. The hotel features will include 164 guest rooms and 11 modern suites, a resort-style outdoor pool and deck and a 24-hour fitness center for business and leisure travelers who would like to be close to thedowntown area. There will also be a few amenities that will highlight the hotel’s commitments to a sustainable lifestyle, such as filtered water stations throughout the hotel to limit the use of plastic bottles andbicycles on site for the guest to utilize during their stay to reduce carbon emission. Another feature the hotel will bring to downtown Tallahassee is the Juicy Blue Tapas Bar & Bistro, a full service restaurant and lounge open for all three meal periods. “Juicy Blue will be know for delicious tapas selections and drink specials, combined with genius hospitality by our staff, making it a great dining and entertainment value for the local community,” said Bo Schmitz, Four point General Manager. Once the hotel is up and running, it is expected to employ between 80 and 100 associates.