Montrose, CO — Starting this week, construction of the new Fairfield by Marriott hotel within the Colorado Outdoors development will enter a remarkable phase as heavy machinery begins lifting 54 modular building units into place. The hotel is set for completion later this year.
Chris Lamont of Lamont Companies of South Dakota said crews using specialized techniques and skills will lift and stack already-completed hotel rooms into place in a process that is likely to take two to three weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Lamont said crews using heavy machinery will be able to lift and place about 8 to 12 units each day.
"Obviously it will start slow, but once they get moving it will get faster," Lamont said.
The Fairfield by Marriott hotel, located on the north side of the Montrose Urban Renewal Authority, MURA, on the city's northwest side, has been under development since the project was announced in 2017. Once open, the hotel will add about 20-30 new local jobs and about 90 hotel rooms to the community through a mix of standard guest rooms and suites.
According to City of Montrose Engineer Scott Murphy, the project obtained city building and site permits in 2021.
"We are very excited to see the construction of the new hotel moving into the next phase,” said Montrose Mayor Dave Frank. “This hotel will not only bring jobs into the city but will assist in our ongoing growth as a vacation destination. Having more hotel rooms in town will allow visitors to our parks and to events and concerts to have a nice place to stay during their visit. We would encourage people to go out in the next couple of weeks to see how quickly this will grow. The method of construction is going to go up very quickly, so here is a chance to see something impressive.”
Lamont said the hotel units were built at company headquarters in South Dakota, before being shipped to the Montrose site. The units are entirely complete with everything already built inside.
"It's a finished room," Lamont said. "You could sleep inside them. The only things not installed are the televisions and bathroom mirrors."
The process of building the hotel in pieces, or modular units, is a specialty Lamont said his company performs for clients across the country.
"Because they are built inside, we think you get a better product in the long run," Lamont said. "For a normal hotel project of this size, it would take about 22-24 months to complete. By building the units off-site and constructing the hotel this way, you cut down on the build time considerably.”
Lamont said he expects the hotel to be completed by sometime in August or September, depending on weather conditions at the construction site.
Colorado Outdoors, LLC co-founder David Dragoo said the hotel will serve as an anchor to the Colorado Outdoors development located within the MURA district.
With new businesses relocating to the MURA area, the need to have hotel and meeting space is now seen as a critical element for future expansion and development.
“The Fairfield by Marriott project has been something we’ve been excited about for a long time,” Dragoo said. “This addition gives Colorado Outdoors the resource to host local as well as out-of-town guests as they come to see if Montrose is the right place for them. Having 90 new rooms and creating dozens of new jobs in the process just adds to the positive momentum Montrose is currently experiencing.”
Hotel amenities will include an indoor fitness center and pool, meeting rooms, and a business center with private outdoor patios.
For the safety and security of the public, anyone wishing to view the construction efforts is asked to remain outside the construction zone and away from any moving machinery.
More about the MURA’s ongoing work can be found here.
For more city news visit: CityOfMontrose.org.