Bufftree Building constructing 106-room Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott

Bufftree Building Company is constructing a new Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, a five-story, 106-room facility. The developer is Lafrance Hospitality Co., which owns a number of inns throughout New England. The hotel has been designed to fit in with the historic surroundings of the New Bedford waterfront by RESCOM Architectural, Inc.and features amenities including a fireplace in the lobby, a business library, a swimming pool, an exercise room and a breakfast area. Located on a 1.6 acre parcel at 16 Front St., across from the Bourne Counting House on Merrill's Wharf, the hotel will connect to a historic, granite stone whale oil refinery building that will be preserved and converted into a conference center to accommodate 150 people. The former Baker-Robinson Oil Works building will undergo exterior renovations to coincide with the hotel's opening, and interior renovations will likely begin next fall. The project's official groundbreaking was held in August. Bufftree's project manager Anthony DiGiantommaso noted that the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott will be the first downtown hotel for New Bedford in 40 years. "This project is special for our Bufftree team because we know that in addition to building a first-class place for visitors to stay right in the heart of the city, we're creating an opportunity for the city to showcase all that it has to offer. The downtown area is experiencing tremendous growth, and Bufftree is pleased to be part of the resurgence of this historic area." Bufftree Building Company is currently working on another project in New Bedford, converting the former sweater mill in the city's west end into the Sean Brooke House, which will provide permanent veterans housing when ready for occupancy in spring 2010.