The same developers that brought the Kimpton Journeyman Hotel to the Third Ward a few years ago are almost ready to unveil their new project in Wauwatosa.
Milwaukee-based HKS Holdings, LLC, tore one of two Mayfair Mall office buildings down to the bones and reimagined it as the Renaissance Milwaukee West hotel, which is expected to open in August.
The hotel, 2300 N. Mayfair Rd., on North Avenue in the mall’s outlot, also houses Eldr+Rime, an New American restaurant with Scandinavian touches open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The restaurant's head chef has not yet been announced.
The 12-story hotel – designed by architects Kahler Slater – is looking sleek in its new glass skin. It is the first Renaissance – a Marriott brand – in Wisconsin.
Renaissance Milwaukee West has 196 guest rooms and suites, as well as top-floor fitness center and event spaces, a bar in the lobby and other amenities.
The property will be managed by Concord Hospitality Enterprises, which also operates the 132-room Cambria Hotel in Downtown Milwaukee.
"We are honored to be opening the first Renaissance hotel in the state of Wisconsin to serve our local community members and visitors to Wauwatosa and Milwaukee areas," said General Manager Vik Khokhar in a statement.
"It’s a symbol of pride and optimism in these unprecedented times. Travel is an essential part of our lives to discover something new. We look forward to the very near future when we can celebrate with our guests, all the while extending authentic services and unveiling this clean, safe and stylish environment that will add new colors to their experiences."
Stay tuned for a peek inside when it gets closer. In the meantime, here are some renderings of how the interior is expected to look:
Lobby bar
Botanic Room (with a view)
Eldr+Rime restaurant
Guest room
Belvedere Room
Entrance
Revel Hall ballroom
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He can be heard weekly on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories.
