Three new hotels coming to Kokomo
Former Ultimate Place 2B will be demolished to make way for development
Kokomo’s south end is set to explode with new development this year as two hotels have been approved by the city’s planning commission, and a third is in the works.
The two active projects were the subject of variance requests in front of the Kokomo Board of Zoning Appeals on Jan. 4. The board approved minor variances to the city’s regulations to allow both to advance.
The first project, a new Home2 Suites by Hilton, is slated for construction at 5126 Clinton Drive. According to Ryan Rediger, representative for developer Kokomo Lodging Associates, the hotel will supplant the existing structure, once known as the Ultimate Place 2B. Demolition of the structure will take place no later than early summer, though it may happen earlier, depending on when the ground thaws in late spring.
Construction will take place on the Hilton hotel following demolition, and Rediger estimates it will take 18 months to complete construction.
The second project, a new Fairfield Inn, is one of two hotels planned for construction in the 5100 block of Cartwright Drive, located on the east side of the street. While the second hotel in this plan is still on the drawing board, according to developer Wyatt Johnson, the Fairfield Inn should begin construction this year.
The plan is to construct an access road that extends Kentucky Drive to the east. This road would end in a courtyard that serves both hotels. The Fairfield Inn will occupy the southernmost parcel, abutting Kokomo’s Fire Station No. 2 to the south, and the residences along Orleans Drive to the east.
Johnson assured the board of zoning appeals that a vegetative barrier consistent with city regulations will separate and buffer the residences from hotel activity. The barrier will consist of fir trees set 25 feet apart.
Johnson did not disclose the name of the hotel that is still in the planning stages.
An eyesore no more
The Ultimate Place 2B is one of the most storied and controversial bars in the city’s history. It initially was proposed and built as a multi-bar complex, featuring a dance club, a traditional bar, and an upstairs sports bar complete with rooftop basketball courts.
However, the dance club also featured a series of dancing poles like those found in strip clubs. Owner Dan Dumoulin Sr. denied any plans to convert the bar into a strip club when seeking approval for construction. Later, under the management of his son, Dan Dumoulin II, the Ultimate Place 2B did become a strip club.
The Ultimate Place 2B never thrived as expected, and the building played host to a number of failed bars after Dumoulin ceased strip club operations. The location also attracted considerable criminal activity and calls for police service.
Since its closure, the building’s exterior and parking lot have not been maintained at a level similar to the surrounding hotels, restaurants, and businesses, resulting in what many would consider an eyesore. The planned demolition will resolve this issue.