Frisco Station, the 242-acre, mixed-use development in Frisco, took a step toward adding a lifestyle hotel campus on Tuesday as NewcrestImage, a Lewisville-based hotel development construction and management firm, broke ground on a dual-brand AC Hotel and Residence Inn.
The hotels, both Marriott concepts, are part of an innovative, 600-room lifestyle hotel campus that, upon completion, will also include Canopy by Hilton. The AC Hotel and Residence Inn are expected to open in mid-2018.
“When designing the lifestyle hotel campus for Frisco Station, we wanted to include concepts that address a broad range of guest needs while also offering an exceptional customer experience,” said Mehul Patel, chairman and CEO of NewcrestImage in a news release. “We want to ease the burden of travel by providing a comfortable environment in which guests may relax and focus on what is most important to them throughout their stay.”
The eight-story, 150-room AC Hotel at Frisco Station is among the first of this brand to be constructed in North Texas. The concept is inspired by modern European design with gray and brown tones, furniture and fixtures with asymmetrical lines and round shapes, and highly textured walls and ceilings with graphic designs. A focal point of the AC Hotel will be its AC LoungeSM, which reinforces Frisco Station’s emphasis on creating collaborative spaces by serving as a co-working space by day and a networking hotspot by night. The lounge features a full bar serving craft beers and hand-crafted cocktails, along with tapas plates. Guests may also collaborate in one of the hotel’s signature media salons or in the library. A European-style breakfast will be served daily in the kitchen area, and a 24-hour fitness center will be available. The AC Hotel also offers more than 4,500 square feet of meeting space.
For guests staying more than a few nights, the seven-story, 150-room Residence Inn at Frisco Station provides an extended stay option. Unlike other Residence Inns, the Frisco Station property will be designed with vibrant colors, eclectic furniture and artwork, and textured walls. Public spaces for engagement include an indoor pool, two lounge areas and a dining room serving a daily complimentary breakfast with healthy menu items. Room options include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites with fully equipped kitchens and free grocery delivery service.
The Frisco Station project represents one of the largest projects to date by NewcrestImage, which began operations in 2013.
“The lifestyle hotel campus that NewcrestImage is developing at Frisco Station is something that hasn’t been done before,” said Mike Berry, president of Hillwood Properties. “They have created a singular hotel destination that provides multiple concepts distinct in their design, function, and appeal. This type of guest tailoring, which includes alluring artistic design, and meaningful convenience, aligns perfectly with Frisco Station’s foundational pillars of smart, creative and healthy, the intent of which integrates all of the facets of a productive, active, and inspired lifestyle. The new AC Hotel and Residence Inn are perfect for what we are trying to accomplish here at Frisco Station.”
The lifestyle hotel campus will anchor “The Hub,” a 31-acre, mixed-use amenity district that is the centerpiece of Frisco Station.
Upon completion, Frisco Station will also include more than five million square feet of office and corporate campuses and 2,400 urban living units.
The project is being developed by the Frisco Station Partnership, which is composed of The Rudman Partnership, Hillwood Properties and VanTrust Real Estate.