Grand Prairie City Council approves new hotel construction near Lone Star Park

by Kirk Dickey of Grand Prairie TODAY

After postponing action a week due to traffic concerns, the Grand Prairie City Council unanimously approved a site plan for a new hotel in the entertainment district.

The four-story, 104-room Holiday Inn Express could be just the start of hotel developments along Belt Line Road north of I-30. The proposed hotel will fit behind the Chevron gas station just north of the interstate, with two access points - a right in going north on Belt Line on the southern end of the property and an entrance-exit just north of the gas station.

The building will be primarily brick and stone, with all brick on the first floor and less than 10 percent stucco throughout. A standing seam metal roof painted to match architectural style of the area - Spanish Baroque with terra cotta earth tone colors - will blend with the Belt Line Corridor Overlay District style guidelines with arched window dormers and roofline profiles that match the style elements recommended for the district.

It is designed to caters to the business traveler, leisure traveler and groups. There will be no restaurant inside, according to City Planner Kevin Lasher, who presented the site plan at the May 19 and June 2 meetings.

The hotel will sit on two acres of land, which could house a second hotel and a restaurant in the future. The project developer provided an artist rendering of that idea at the meeting as well.

City councilmembers said they were pleased with the prospect of a hotel in that area, but had concerns about its effect on traffic flow on Belt Line, as well as ingress and egress of the hotel. The councilmembers' thoughts were that it would be difficult for people in the hotel to turn south, forcing them to go north and turn around there.

Lasher explained that the hotel's developer has acquired an easement to build an entrance onto the proposed Palace Parkway extension, which will cross Belt Line and, likely, join the I-30 service road, allowing northbound travelers easier travel.

The easement will allow more fluid traffic patterns in the area, because Palace Parkway is already signalized.

“They do have that connection already established. They just don't have Palace Parkway, because that is currently under design by our engineering consultant,” Lasher told the council.

The council still had some questions about the interim, however. Mayor Charles England echoed his and other councilmembers' concerns from May 19. He asked for assurances from Transportation Director Jim Sparks that the traffic in that area would not be fouled up by the hotel.

Sparks said that according to a traffic study, there will be some impact to the area, but not a significant one. At peak hours, all entrances onto major thoroughfares are downgraded in quality and he did not see this being different. But he also said he does not see it as being a major drawback either.

“I do not believe it will significantly impact Belt Line Road,” Sparks said.

He believes that Palace Parkway opening will lessen any snags in the traffic pattern. The city hopes to have design done by November and, pending funding, the road complete in 12 months, about the same time the hotel would open.

Councilman Mark Hepworth said he was satisfied that the situation would be temporary and that the hotel would be a boon for the area.

“I've received only one e-mail, but I have received several calls from constituents excited about getting that hotel in there,” he said.