CV Properties and Shawmut Design and Construction joined Rhode Island Governor Gina M. Raimondo, Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza and other project partners in a virtual celebration to mark the topping off of the new Aloft Hotel by Marriott International in Providence, Rhode Island.

Located in the Providence Innovation and Design District on land acquired from the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, the roughly 101,000 square-foot hotel, managed by Marriott International, will feature 175 guest rooms, including five upgraded suites, as well as a lobby restaurant and bar and Elevation rooftop.

“This important construction milestone on the Aloft Hotel is proof that even when times are tough, Rhode Island doesn’t stop moving forward,” said Governor Gina M. Raimondo. “The Providence Innovation and Design District continues to be key to our state’s growth, and the Aloft hotel will help us attract visitors as our economy recovers.”

“We are tremendously proud of the progress we’re making at the all-new Aloft Hotel, but most importantly how we’re doing so safely at a project that began construction not long after the onset of the pandemic,” said Kevin Sullivan, Executive Vice President at Shawmut. “As a firm with roots in Rhode Island, we’re honored to continue bringing the vision of the I-195 redevelopment to life, creating a vibrant, forward-thinking hub in the state’s capital city.”

Due to the ongoing pandemic, project partners as well as city and state leaders, came together virtually to celebrate the project milestone. In addition to Governor Raimondo and Mayor Elorza, the virtual celebration included remarks from CV Properties President and CEO Dick Galvin, Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor, I-195 Redevelopment District Commission Chairman Bob Davis and Shawmut CEO Les Hiscoe.

“Though the setting may be different, it was important to us to thank the many people who helped this project move forward — especially in the face of many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dick Galvin, President and CEO at CV Properties. “We are fortunate to have a terrific team from Shawmut on site, who is driving forward the project in the safest way possible through enhanced protocols and technology innovations.”

“The construction of the Aloft Hotel is an important sign that, despite the challenges of the COVID era, Rhode Island is advancing successfully,” said Stefan Pryor, Secretary of Commerce. “In the course of this crisis, our state has not shut down the construction industry — instead, it has continued to operate throughout this period. We applaud CV Properties and Boston Andes Capital for keeping this project going despite all of the challenges. And, in general, we recognize our state’s development/construction professionals and building trades for staying up and running while staying safe. This hotel will be a key asset in our ever evolving 195 innovation & design district.”

Shawmut has deployed enhanced safety protocols to mitigate the risk of infectious disease spread across all jobsites, rolling out new procedures, jobsite innovation, and an exhaustive COVID-19 risk assessment and response plan nationwide. These protocols are implemented at the Aloft Hotel site and include Shawmut Vitals — a custom technology platform which allows team members to self-certify daily health screenings by scanning a job-specific QR code and completing a health survey.

Project financing for the Aloft Hotel has been provided by Washington Trust Company through a $35 million construction/permanent loan, which closed in March 2020. Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and Twain Financial have partnered through the Rhode Island C-PACE program to provide a loan to the project for energy efficiencies. Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and Twain Financial have partnered through the Rhode Island C-PACE program to provide a loan to the project for energy efficiencies. In addition, the project will be supported with tax incentives provided by Rhode Island Commerce Corporation and the City of Providence.

“We want to congratulate CV properties on today’s milestone. The Aloft Hotel is an important piece in the ongoing growth of the Providence Innovation and Design District,” said Robert Davis, Chairman of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission. “We look forward to welcoming its guests to the area as we continue our mission of driving economic development in the district.”

The Aloft is slated to open at the end of Q3 2021. Architecture firm Elkus Manfredi is overseeing project design and construction is being managed by Shawmut who has an office in Providence.