Lakhani Hospitality officially started the demolition of the Travelers Inn and the vacant Ozzie’s Bar and Grill buildings to make way for the new Holiday Inn Express hotel.
The family-owned Skokie-based hotel company marked the occasion with a ground breaking ceremony that took place on April 30 at 11:30 a.m. Sheila Lakhani Gilani, the company’s director of operations and the daughter of company owner Mansoorali Lakhani, said that the date was chosen because it coincided with the 11th anniversary of Lakhani Hospitality’s entry into hotel business. The family also used the ceremony as an opportunity to donate $10,000 to the Niles Family Services food pantry.
Karim Lakhani, Sheila’s brother and the company’s assistant director of operations, previously told the Niles Herald-Spectator that the construction was originally supposed to start in April, but Lakhani Hospitality didn’t want to start construction until it got a Class 7(b) tax incentive and a special use permit for the site.
Lakhani Hospitality spokesperson Alisa Bay said that the delay wouldn’t affect the construction timetable, and that the company still intends to open the hotel by May 2016.
In documents submitted to the Village Board, Lakhani Hospitality argued that without the incentives, it would not be able to get enough of a return on the investment to make the project worthwhile. Both the Village Board and the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved their application in April.
According to Karim Lakhani, the company owned Travelers Inn since 2008, and it acquired the Ozzie’s Bar and Grill building in 2012. The new hotel will stretch across the two lots, facing west, with short-term parking in the front and long-term parking lot in the back. Lakhani said that the hotel will have a business area, a 1,500 square foot meeting room space, a fitness center and an indoor pool.
The company also applied for a zoning variance to get an exception from green space requirements. Because of the building’s height, it had to apply for a special use permit. The Village Board approved both applications during its April 28 meeting.
The Holiday Inn Express would represent a first for Niles. While the village had a number of motels over the years, this will be its first business-class hotel.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held between the two buildings. While the buildings themselves were still standing, windows and most interior furniture were already removed. The shingles from Ozzie’s Bar roof were carefully stacked in piles and, according to Bay, the company intends to reuse them in Holiday Inn construction.
Sheila Lakhani Gilani said the ground breaking meant more than just a building of a new hotel, but was celebrated Lakhani Hospitality’s success and ability to survive adversity.
“We went through the biggest recession the hotel industry ever faced and we came out stronger,” she said. “We are very excited about this project in Niles.”
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Lakhani Gilani said Karim Lakhani has been spearheading the project, and turned the microphone over to him.
“This project is important for a lot of reasons,” he said. “First, if you ask a lot of businesses in Niles, this is long overdue. Second, I grew up around here, and this corner has been an eyesore for a long time.”
Karim Lakhani also said that the fact that Niles was familiar territory didn’t hurt.
“I joined the company 11 months ago, and we stared talking about development,” he said. “And what better place to develop than a place you know.”
Lakhani said that he and his family planned to be involved in the community.
Niles Family Services Director Tony Hollenback said that the company’s donation would allow them to buy more food and supplies.
Mayor Andrew Przybylo also took the opportunity to speak.
“I’ve been living in Niles since 1967, and I’ve passed this corner many a times” he said. “I’ve seen it at it’s best and I’ve seen it at its worst, and now, I’m going to see it at its bestest. [sic] On behalf of the Niles family, I want to welcome the Lakhani family and the great things they’ll bring.”
Igor Studenkov is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.