By Sammy Williams for AZBEX
Applicant, Huellmantel & Affiliates of Tempe announced plans that owner, Farmer Arts Lot 4 LLC will open the country’s second Vib (pronounced “vibe”) hotel on a vacant lot on the SEC of Farmer Avenue and 5th Street in Tempe.
The 102-room, five-story Vib is an urban, boutique hotel brand operated by Best Western in Turkey, Thailand and Springfield, MO.
The property will occupy 50KSF of the 1.26-acre parcel and will feature food and beverage services in the base of the hotel, in the pool area and on a portion of the rooftop. An outdoor dining area will be provided for the ground floor café and a rooftop bar will be exclusive to hotel guests.
The site is designed with both hotel guests and pedestrians in mind and includes generous landscape coverage of 25 percent.
“We have provided the signature Farmer Arts District streetscape and trees along the various sides of the project and provided additional pedestrian space in a pocket park along Farmer,” the developer said in their application.
The site will also benefit from the already developed pedestrian walkway along the Union Pacific railroad tracks just east of the property.
In addition to Tempe’s transit options, guests will have access to 85 vehicle parking spaces and nine bicycle parking spaces.
“We believe that this is an ideal location for a Vīb Hotel based on the proximity to Downtown Tempe, Mill Avenue, Arizona State University and its stadiums and the entertainment destinations around Farmer Avenue,” the developer stated.
The hotel is anticipated to open sometime in 2020.