A proposed new hotel on Grant Avenue in Auburn has received initial approval from city officials.
The Auburn Zoning Board of Appeals this week approved an area variance allowing a planned TownePlace Suites by Marriott to exceed the city’s 40-foot height limit for buildings in the highway commercial zone. The proposed four-story hotel would stand 55 feet tall and include 89 suites.
The project is being developed by Indus Hospitality Group, which owns and operates dozens of hotels and restaurants.
The Auburn Citizen reports that, according to documents submitted to the city by BME Associates on behalf of the developer, limiting the project to three stories would reduce the number of hotel rooms to a level that would not generate enough revenue to support operations and future investments. Developers also cited limited space for horizontal expansion at the site. The hotel would be built after the demolition of two houses at 132-134 and 138 Grant Avenue.
The project will now move to the Auburn Planning Board for site plan review. The board had previously tabled the application pending the zoning variance decision.
Planning Board members could resume review of the project as early as June, although additional issues could delay the process.
If the project receives final approvals, construction is expected to begin in spring 2027, with the hotel projected to open in 2028.
