14/3/2008£30M, 200-bed hotel for city centre
A FOUR-STAR, 200-bed hotel is planned on the site of a derelict car park in Glasgow's Merchant City.
The proposed £30million development spans six storeys next to the recently refurbished City Halls and Fruitmarket.
It includes shops, restaurants, bars, meeting rooms and underground parking. It has been designed by Edinburgh architect Allan Murray on behalf of James Montgomery, the developer who owns The Ivory Hotel and Restaurant in Camphill Avenue, Langside.
Mr Montgomery said he was negotiating a deal with a global hotel brand not currently in Glasgow and would be aiming at the high end of the hotel market.
He added: "It's something fresh and new. There is not an Allan Murray building in Glasgow and the hotel brand we are negotiating with is also not in the city."
Plans for the Ingram Street development have been submitted to the city council and went on public display earlier this week.
The proposal is likely to go before the council's planning department in February.
It includes four levels of hotel rooms, on top of two floors comprising a lobby area facing on to Ingram Street, together with room for restaurants, bars and meeting rooms. It also includes 27,000sq ft of retail space, on the ground level and part of the basement level.
Mr Montgomery is also behind plans to turn a B-listed school in the South Side into a five-star hotel, with eight luxury suites, a gourmet restaurant and art deco-style bar.
Jan 17, 2008