Hansji Breaks Ground on Residence Inn by Marriott in San Diego

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. October 14, 2008

IRVINE, CA, October 29, 2007. Hansji Hotels, Inc., an Irvine based hotel development and management company, has broken ground on the 239 suite Residence Inn by Marriott in downtown San Diego. The hotel, located on the corner of 6th and J, is positioned in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter-Southern California's premier dining, entertainment and shopping district and a block from the Convention Center and PETCO Park, the new home of the San Diego Padres.

The 12-story Residence Inn by Marriott will be an extended-stay hotel that includes over 8,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and three levels of subterranean parking. This new Generation 7, urban prototype promises to compete directly with its full-service neighbors by capitalizing on its street level bar and lounge, meeting and banquet facilities, and roof top pool overlooking 5th Avenue. "Marriott is very excited to be a part of this unique project in the Gaslamp district of San Diego, with all of the interest and focus on urban living over the past few years, we have seen a real interest to develop Residence Inn by Marriott in downtown markets," remarks Eric Jacobs, Senior Vice President Lodging Development of Marriott International.

Hansji Hotels is building on a 22,000 square foot parcel surrounding the historic 1900 Brunswig Drug Co. structure with all current uses and tenants remaining unchanged. The construction of the new Residence Inn by Marriott symbolizes the growth and vitality to the historic Gaslamp Quarter, which also furthers Hansji Hotels' relationship and continued growth with Marriott International. "We are pleased to break ground on a hotel that will be a major asset to the business and cultural landscape of downtown San Diego" states John Bissell, Vice President of Development. "We particularly take pride in maintaining the integrity of the existing historic structure while adding valuable hospitality space to this dynamic part of the city." The project is scheduled to open in early 2009.

The Gaslamp Quarter is a 16-block area between Fourth and Sixth avenues-is a National Historic District. In 1982, it became a major redevelopment project area for the city of San Diego. Today, new residential dwellings and businesses share the downtown location with Victorian-style buildings constructed from 1880 to 1910. Hansji Hotels is working with the Gaslamp Quarter Association to maintain continuity between progressive architectural design and the rich style of these historic structures. According to Dennis Rogers, Awbrey Cook McGill Architect's design principal, "The 239-suites hotel will be one of the first 'urban concept' Marriott Residence Inns and is destined to be a flagship property for the Marriott Residence Inn brand. The design met the clients' goals by optimizing the number of suites on a very tight site while still providing all of the guest amenities required by Marriott. The project captures the historic references to the old warehouses of the Gaslamp District with tumbled brick, fabric awnings and metal trellises."