A new look for the Colony Inn (architect’s rendering pictured) drew heat at Tuesday’s Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. No one made mention of the hotel’s startling design, which would catapult the building decades ahead of its neighbors. But neighbors of the downtown hotel feared further expansion would only tighten a parking crunch in the Chapel/Dwight area.
Developers seek to expand the four-story inn by two stories, equalling the height of surrounding buildings. The add-on would bring the hotel from 86 to 126 rooms, with more space for meetings. But the proposal falls short on the number of parking spots required —‚Äù city law requires 219; the hotel proposes 101.
Nearby students argued, and board members chimed in, that the hotel’s business takes up street parking and blocks traffic with visiting buses —‚Äù like the one pictured, parked in front of the Inn Tuesday afternoon.
“The last thing we need on Chapel Street is a greater influx of visitors without parking to adequately deal with the consequent increase in traffic,” charged Sara Gibson, a Yale student who lives on Chapel Street.
James Strub, the Colony Inn’s attorney, said the hotel rarely fills its basement parking garage, which has 74 spaces. In times of high demand, the hotel uses valet parking and a nearby garage to accommodate overflow of up to 120 cars.
Board members seemed convinced, but stressed the on-street parking crunch. They pressured the Colony to keep giant vehicles from filling scarce parking spots. In a well-intentioned but legally meaningless gesture, hotel representatives gave their “word” to stop letting RVs, often used by touring bands, park in front of the Inn.
The BZA tabled the matter, leaving a vote for another night.