Springwood Hospitality starts work on 5-story hotel in Cumberland

Springwood Hospitality of York has begun construction on its first hotel in Cumberland County, a five-story Springhill Suites by Marriott in Lower Allen Township.

The hotel, with 124 guest suites, will be built on a 2-plus-acre condominium pad in Lower Allen Commons retail center purchased from the township’s development authority. Lancaster’s Benchmark Construction is the general contractor.

It will be on land that formerly housed a Bon-Ton department store and other retailers. In 2019, the development authority bought the 14-acre tract after Bon-Ton filed for bankruptcy.

“We are glad to bring the new hotel and adjoining retail back to the site and create a new, vibrant center in Lower Allen Township,” authority Chairman, Max Stoner, said in a statement.

Among the current tenants in Lower Allen Commons are Bonefish Grill, Texas Roadhouse and Burger King, which have extended their leases; Trader Joe’s also is opening a 12,500-square-foot grocery store there in early 2022, its first in central Pennsylvania.

Other new tenants are Sports Clips Haircuts and The Good Feet Store.

Campbell Commercial Real Estate Inc., of Lemoyne, coordinated the transaction between the development authority and Springwood Hospitality.

The release from Campbell also noted that two other pad sites in Lower Allen Commons, measuring 1.01 acres and 1.12 acres, are being marketed for retail development.

Justin Shelton, president of Springwood Hospitality, said in a phone interview that “we’re always looking for opportunities.”

“This is one of the best sites we’ve ever done,” he said. ‘We’re excited to get it going.”

Being close to multiple restaurants and Trader Joe’s is “a nice amenity” for our guests,” Shelton said. “It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Springhill Suites by Marriott is expected to open in about a year.

A sales agreement was signed in November 2019, and construction would have begun last summer if not for the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Shelton declined to specify the project’s cost, although PennLive reported that Springwood Hospitality purchased the condominium pad in August for $2.75 million.

Benchmark has built a couple of other hotels for Springwood Hospitality, Shelton said. “They’ve done a great job.”

Adding Springhill Suites by Marriott to the mix, the company operates 14 hotels, including three in York, two in Easton, two in Hershey, two in Lancaster, one in Lititz, one in Ephrata, one in Harrisburg and one in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All are under the Marriott or Hilton brand and range from about 100 to 150 rooms.

The guest suites in the new hotel will feature separate living and sleeping areas.

Other amenities include:

• Outdoor spaces, including a fire pit and soft (cushioned) seating areas.
• A fitness center with a wide variety of workout equipment.
• Interactive digital wall art.
• A hot, complimentary breakfast, featuring protein, fresh fruit and healthy options. In the evenings, there will be a seasonal beverage cart and snacks for purchase.
• Strategically placed USB ports throughout the guest suites.

The hotel also is partnering with West Elm on the furniture design, Shelton said, describing the style as “upscale.”