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Date: 11/3/2022
SPRINGFIELD – Built in 1970 as a part of the Baystate West development now known as Tower Square, the Marriott Springfield Downtown hotel on 2 Boland Way operated for decades as a hospitality beacon in the heart of downtown Springfield. Following an ownership change in 2018 and a two-year transformation process, Marriott Springfield Downtown is celebrating its grand opening to the public with a Nov. 3 ceremony.
“I am calling this more of a reinvention, because the word renovation is just not doing it justice,” said Marriott Springfield Downtown General Manger Peter Marks in an interview with Reminder Publishing.
Marriott Springfield Downtown will be the second Marriott property in downtown Springfield, connecting to the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place hotel via a sky bridge.
Marks shared the process of remodeling the Marriott Springfield Downtown space began shortly after the hotel’s acquisition.
“We looked at what needs to be accomplished and done with the building to bring us into a new Marriott standard. We worked on designing and finding our niche in the market,” said Marks.
The renovation process occurred amidst the trials and tribulations of the coronavirus pandemic. Marks said the situation posed “two sides of the coin” for Marriott. Construction prices rose due to increased demand for supplies, but the hotel’s shutdown allowed the Marriott team to create a more ambitious reinvention of the hotel space.
“We decided to shut the building completely down so our renovations could be much more extensive. We actually renovated and did a lot more work in the building than we initially outlined,” said Marks.
Some of the additional work included replacing sprinkler pipes, water lines, electrical lines and breaker boxes. Marks said some of these changes would have been “very hard to do in an occupied building.”
The new features include the addition of a 20,000-square foot. event space constructed on the building’s rooftop. Along with offering visitors’ scenic views of downtown Springfield, the rooftop is lined with fire pits and lounge spaces.
“That is something we added to the structure of the building, which is a highlight of the property,” said Marks.
Inside the hotel, Marks said that the Marriott team deconstructed the first floor to create a “very large open space” as a part of the modern Marriott Greatroom concept. The lobby includes Bridge 22 – a high-end cocktail bar and restaurant that serves American dishes and signature handcrafted cocktails.
“It is not your typical restaurant … It’s a good place to hang out, relax, network [and] socialize. There’s couches there, there’s different seating arrangements. There’s a large variety to really offer something for everybody,” said Marks.
The completed renovations feature 266 modern guest rooms with a slew of modern amenities along with four elevated suites with contemporary living room and kitchen areas. The hotel also features more than 15,000 square feet of indoor event space, including a 5,990-square foot Grand Ballroom and a 3,400-square foot Springfield Ballroom.
Marks also highlighted the location’s proximity to a slew of downtown Springfield staples, such as MGM Springfield and the MassMutual Center. He aspires for the reinvented Marriott Springfield Downtown to be a key proprietor in helping to extend Springfield’s event business.
“I believe our pure presence as a Marriott brand is giving the city more opportunity to get in on different convention business … It will allow the city to hold bigger conventions and attract larger sports tournaments, and overall help the market,” said Marks.
Readers can learn more about the Marriott Springfield Downtown at https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/bdlms-marriott-springfield-downtown/overview/.