New Hotels Could Spring Up On Daytona's Beachside

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Daytona Beach, FL - An empty oceanfront lot just over two acres in size could soon be home to a pair of hotels on Daytona's beachside.

City commissioners agreed to a re-zoning request during last night's (January 9th) meeting for two new Marriotts to be built on 41 South Ocean Avenue just south of Breakers Oceanfront Park. It's currently used as parking for diners heading to Joe's Crab Shack on the Daytona Beach Pier.

Commissioners did not make comments during last night's meeting but the topic will have to come back in front of them during the second reading of that ordinance on January 23rd.

The Daytona Beach Boardwalk - whose southern border is the park - could be extended to Harvey Avenue as part of the $60 million project, one which could be complete by 2022 or 2023.

Those Marriotts - one a Courtyard and the other a Springhill Suites - would occupy the same 10-story building on the northeast corner of Ocean and Harvey, with 271 rentable rooms in total. The lot used to hold three hotels which were eventually demolished after all suffered severe damage during the 2004 hurricane season.

Part of that lot is currently under city ownership and Avista Properties - the Orlando-based company behind the project - has offered to buy the part the city owns for $2.68 million assuming it passes second reading on January 23rd. Avista already owns the rest of the lot.

According to the meeting agenda, Avista plans to add all sorts of amenities around the 50,000 square-foot hotel, including restaurants, shops, outdoor entertainment and an outdoor guest pool and bar.

The project also calls for Avista to rebuild the public beach approach at Harvey after the Volusia County Council agreed to give part of the approach to Avista in September.

Avista is seeking a property tax abatement as part of the deal, but how much that might cost isn't clear at this point.

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