Printer Friendly Version - New Hampton Inn Will Replace Branford Motel

The owners of Branford Motel have received approval to demolish the six current buildings on the East Main Street site in order to build a brand-new, four-story 100-room Hampton Inn and a stand-alone one-story restaurant. Pam Johnson/The Sound

New Stand-Alone Restaurant Building Also Approved

A four-story, 100-room Hampton Inn, together with a brand-new, stand-alone restaurant building, will be built on the site of the current Branford Motel at 470 - 478 East Main Street, which will be demolished.

At its Feb. 20 meeting, Branford's Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) gave the final ok to the site plan and special exception application of JK Partners LLC and motel proprietor KJ Patel. The Patel family has owned motel site for decades, said the applicant's attorney, James Perito (Halloran Sage, New Haven).

Located on the eastern end of town on Route 1, the newly constructed hotel will replace the site's current arrangement of six separate buildings. At present, Branford Motel operates three motel buildings on the property, which also includes include a former sandwich shop and a check-in office, as well as rented offices. Currently, the motel has 97 rooms and three employee apartments in the mix.

In August 2019, Branford's Zoning Board of Appeals approved the applicant's variance request allowing for the new hotel's height, floor area and to allow for expansion and modification of uses from 97 rooms to 100.

Demolition of all six of the existing buildings will take place in a phasing plan, with the majority taken down in the earliest phase to allow for main construction to get underway. The new Hampton Inn will include an indoor pool, exercise room, meeting rooms and a small food prep room. Off of the lobby area, guests will have access to a breakfast room and sitting area. The stand-alone restaurant will be a one-story, 3,000 square foot building.

As a member of the Hilton Hotel brand, the new Hampton Inn will meet "Hilton Hotel standards," the applicant's engineer, George Johannsen of Allied Engineering (Canaan), told the PZC on Feb. 20.

Now that the site plan and special exception have been approved, the un-named stand-alone restaurant will be marketed, and an application specific to the selected restaurant will then come back before the PZC for approval, said Johannsen.

To view more information from the the PZC Feb. 20 meeting, which was videotaped by Branford Commnunity Television, visit @MyBCTV on Facebook.