- The Ashwaubenon Plan Commission voted 7-0 at Tuesday's meeting to made an exception to the village's height limits for the proposed Cambria Hotel
- The most recent renderings show a 100-room, L-shaped hotel just north of Element Way on Oneida Street
- The hotel's tallest point would be 58 feet tall — lower than the original plan of 70 feet, but still well beyond village height restrictions
- The Village Board will consider the hotel's height based on the Plan Commission's recommendation at its regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 26
- Video shows the proposed site, renderings, and villagers unhappy with the proposal voicing opinions at the Village Board meeting
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
The Ashwaubenon Plan Commission voted to make an exception to the village's height requirement for the proposed new Cambria hotel. Though some at the meeting were worried about noise and views, the hotel project will now move to the final approval stage.
The Cambria Hotel would stand on Oneida Street, just north of Element Way. The most recent plans have it at four stories and 58 feet at its tallest point — shorter than the original plan of 70 feet.
"We did lower the height of the building," project executive Tim Rinn said. "We positioned it on the site too, so that we could block as few views as possible."
Jeri Starich, who lives across the street from the site, is not convinced.
"By the time the sun gets over a four- or five-story building, I'll be serving lunch," Starich said.
Starich and Bob Klenke, whose business would be displaced by the project, are worried about what they think is a slippery slope of making exceptions to height requirements.
"I'm not so sure that that building, going in that spot, fits in," Klenke said.
"A precedent is being set for any future developments along this corridor," Starich said. "The neighborhood will be taken away from the homeowners."
The Plan Commission was not entirely satisfied with the hotel plans for a rooftop bar, but voted 7-0 to bypass the height requirement and move the Cambria to the next phase.
"Them wanting five stories and going down to four — I think is a pretty good indication they want to make this work," Board member Chris Atkinson said. "I think we should let them build it."
The Village Board meets Tuesday, Sept. 26 for the full public hearing about the hotel. If approved next week, development and construction could begin prior to the end of 2023 to have the hotel ready for the NFL draft in 2025.
