In just over a year, a former school in Lawrenceville that closed in 2006 will be transformed into a hotel.
Developers are overhauling the Washington Education Center, just north of Butler Street on 40th Street.
"Folks are pretty excited to see some use come back into that building,” said Dave Breingan, executive director of Lawrenceville United.
Folks like Dolores Hison, who has lived here since her 20s and has seen Lawrenceville at its best and worst. She thinks the addition of a sleek boutique hotel with over 100 guest rooms, two restaurants and a rooftop patio will add to the neighborhood's upswing.
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"It's good. I think it's good for Lawrenceville. We needed something to pep us up," she said.
The developer behind the five-story Tryp by Wyndham is Century Equities. The firm's principal, Josh Aderholt, lives in the neighborhood and he's well aware of his neighbors’ concerns about construction.
He told Channel 11 the building is being repurposed so there will be minimum disruption to everyday life during construction.
He’s also promising the hotel won’t complicate parking in the area. The Tryp will add more than 100 spaces to accommodate its guests and not take away from the neighborhood’s supply.
"The watchword that we're going by is being neighborly,” he said. “We'll do everything we can to make sure there are safe throughways for pedestrians and vehicles."
The hotel is expected to be complete by early 2019.