From the Napa Valley Register
By Jennifer Huffman
Business owner Thea Witsil had removed her inventory some weeks ago to make room for a new retail space next to the planned Archer hotel. That will essentially wrap around the corner of First and Coombs streets, almost encapsulating the historic Napa Valley Register building, recently occupied by Sushi Mambo and will remain in place.
Developer Todd Zapolski said the former Wildcat space will be brought up to standards and leased in 2016. Lease rates “will be competitive and whatever the market allows for brand new space in that location,” he said.
Next door, workers are conducting asbestos removal at the long-empty Merrill’s building where chain link fencing with a fabric-like covering has been strung along the block.
The five-story, 183-room Archer hotel is being developed by Wichita, Kansas-based LodgeWorks Partners, L.P.
The abatement process is expected to continue through mid-November on portions of the Merrill’s building. “This work is to appropriately remove minor asbestos-containing materials, a common requirement of buildings of similar age,” said Mike Daood, president of LodgeWorks. The asbestos was found in the floor tiles, he said.
“We are continuing to closely interface with our colleagues at Napa Center and city building officials to advance toward demolition, required structural support of the historic Merrill’s facade and confirming seismic bracing of the neighboring structures,” he said.
“The sequencing is critical to everyone’s success, and we are fortunate to have a great team of professionals and city officials collaborating on these details daily.”
The Archer, planned as a four-diamond, boutique luxury hotel, should open in late 2016, said a news release.