HATFIELD — A new hotel on Route 5 in West Hatfield, accompanied by self-storage units, appears to be on track to being approved by town planners after no significant objections were raised at a recent public hearing on the project.

While the Planning Board at its March 1 meeting requested that Kirit Patel, principal of Shield Hotels, focus on making the three-story, 35-room hotel to be built at 16 West St. fit in with the town’s aesthetics, nothing appeared to be standing in the way when the project returns for a possible vote on April 5.

“Overall the plan is in the right direction,” Planning Board Chairwoman Stephanie Slysz said.

Slysz said while the modern, box-like building may not fit in with the town’s agricultural heritage, planners can ask for a certain appearance, especially with the self-storage units on the north and south sides of the property. One way to do this may be similar to rk MILES, at 21 West St., and Stiebel Eltron, at 17 West St., both of which have significant landscaping in front of their buildings, including large bushes and hedges.

The town has draft design bylaws that can be followed, too, though these were never adopted by residents, Slysz said, yet “there are things we can ask for as a Planning Board around that.”

Planning Board member Jimmy Tarr said requesting vegetated screening would seem appropriate. “I don’t see why something along the roadside would be a big issue, a problem or an impediment to this project going forward,” Tarr said.

Patel said the boutique hotel, which will be in proximity to Interstate 91, will not be franchised with a major brand that typically requires many more rooms than the hotel will have.

Jeff Squire, a consultant from the Berkshire Design Group in Northampton, said the existing building, opened originally as a Howard Johnson restaurant, will be razed and the hotel will go up on the same basic footprint. That will minimize site work and regrading of the property, Squire said. The parcel will maintain 38 parking spaces for the 3,488-square-foot building.

The self-storage units, 10 units on the north side and 10 units on the south side, maximize the potential use of the site and bring in important revenue. “The intention is that it’s a complementary use,” Squire said.

Those who spoke during the meeting were largely favorable to the project.

Robert Raymond, the landlord for the Danco plaza at 10 West St. to the south, said his concern was what the rear of the storage units will look like.

“I wouldn’t have any issues with it so long as the back side of the structure looks a little more attractive,” Raymond said, pointing to how he improved the Danco plaza in recent years with a brick facade.

Peter Langlois, who runs the Smithsonian Cafe and Chowderhouse at 1 West St., said he loves the idea of the hotel, as having guests there could allow him to open the restaurant before 11 a.m. daily.

“If they build the hotel, we’ll open for breakfast,” Langlois said.

Danco Modern furniture and accessories owner Ross Grant said he feels positive for the growing commercial corridor, with upgraded and extended water and sewer lines, but asked planners to focus on making sure the hotel looks good.

“This is an area that is developing and is going to continue to develop,” Grant said.

Shield Hotels oversees seven properties in the region, including the Quality Inn & Suites in Northampton, the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Holyoke and the Hampton Inn & Suites in Greenfield, as well as hotels in West Springfield and Westfield, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and Colonie/Albany, New York.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.]]>