Hotel nearing completion

Story and picture by Joshua Maloni
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, September 1, 2007

A look inside the Barton Hill Hotel lobby.

Lewiston’s Barton Hill Hotel is “very close” to opening for business, owner Diane Finkbeiner said Thursday. After more than a year-and-a-half of work on her part, and on the part of her husband, Ed, the four-story, luxury inn will open its doors to the public in the near future.

On Wednesday, a “test run” was held for a group from Realty USA (see related story). Guests used the first floor and outside patio, while their hosts tested applications, such as the air conditioning, and staff serving capabilities.

Rooms will start at between $169 and $250 per night. Guests, when they arrive, will be greeted inconspicuously in the lobby and checked in. Their car will be valet parked in the underground lot and they will be ushered to their room.

Each room is designed differently – with various styles of bed, bath and beyond. So too, each is named after a person significant to the northern Niagara County region. Those dignitaries are both historic – Barton and Tryon, for example – and current – DiCamillo, named for the famed bakery maven, and Simonson, designated in honor of former Niagara County Legislator Lee Simonson and his family.

“Our goal is to create something distinctive … that will reflect well on the village,” Diane said of the “boutique hotel with a lot of character.”

Inside every room, there is a hardwood floor, a fireplace, an iPod docking station and a high-definition, flat-panel television. Rooms also come with large windows and mirrors – similar to a home bedroom setup. There is also ample work space and rooms offer Internet hookups – both cable and WiFi.

Earlier this summer, the Barton Hill Spa opened across the street from the inn. Diane said the plan was to utilize an adjoining property for this service. When the noted building, the former Village Inn, became available, it was purchased and refurbished.

Future plans for the hotel include a pool, an exercise room and a lobby bar.

Original hotel designs called for a restaurant. Diane said food service will be available to guests, but stopped short of saying the establishment would house a full-fledged eatery.

“There’s so many great restaurants in Lewiston, I have no desire to compete (with them),” she said.

The Barton Hill Hotel will be marketed to the leisure visitor. That includes both the local and out-of-state business community and those looking for accommodations when taking mid-week work trips. The complex will also host special events – namely weddings.

In terms of the design, Diane said many people have gushed that the new build looks like a historic property renovated. She credits the works of Giusiana Architects and Advanced Design Group for its appeal.

“We brought really excellent people,” she said.

The structure, Diane noted, has drawn interest from both American Express, which is interested in filming it for a national commercial, and from the New York Times, whose weekend section staff is considering a piece.

“It’s a good project; it’s good for the community,” she said. “I think it will bode well for Lewiston’s future.”

Hotel rates and availability will be posted online at www.bartonhillhotel.com. For more information, call 1-800-718-1812.

Barton Hill Hotel rumors dispelled

With Barton Hill Hotel rumors rampant – this is Lewiston, after all – Diane Finkbeiner cleared the air with regard to several topics. Namely:

Why it’s taken so long …

When the project was approved by the Village of Lewiston in the fall of 2005, Ed Finkbeiner said it would be completed by June 2006. More than one year later, the business has yet to open.

The reason for the delay in the inn’s opening is twofold. First, it has required extra time and attention. “It’s 24 hours a day,” Diane said. “This is the hardest we’ve worked in our lives.”

She said people are more inclined to forgive a business for opening later than for opening poorly.

“We’re going to build a safe, quality product,” she said.

“It takes time,” she added. “I’m hoping it will be well worth the wait.”

Additionally, there were some unforeseen obstacles that slowed forward progress at various points in the process.

What the hotel is made of …

When the building was in its earlier stages, speculation arose that it was being constructed sans steel. Diane said that’s untrue.

“Try making a cell phone call,” she said. “There’s so much steel, you’re not getting out!”

She said the building was constructed according to the state building code requirements, and that Ed has built scores of projects – on both coasts – for 20 years.

Who built it …

Again, when the property was beginning, the lack of a large, visible workforce led some residents to wonder if union workers were involved in the construction.

Diane said it’s an “open shop,” and that union contracts were a part of the process. In terms of workers and pay, she said everything was aboveboard.

Who owns the property …

Diane said she and Ed are the sole owners of the land and the building. Moreover, they own and live in Barton Hill, the mansion located above the hotel on Center Street.