Construction of the next phase of the Metropolis mall in Plainfield could be going up, literally, with at least one trendy five-story hotel on top.

 

Mall developer Premier Properties is working on designs for the next 400,000 square feet of Metropolis, to be constructed next year, and it could include one or two hotel towers above the shopping mall.

 

It is the latest sign of many new hotels in and around Plainfield, within five minutes of the new $1 billion passenger terminal opening at Indianapolis International Airport. The new entry road to the airport comes from the Plainfield direction.

 

"The second phase of Metropolis is in design now, and we're spending a lot of time to make it right. It will not be a major departure from the first phase of Metropolis, but it will look a bit different," said Ryan Cronk, vice president of development for Premier.

 

The first half of the mall in Plainfield is mostly one- and two-story structures, with retail shops and restaurants on the street level and offices on the upper floors.

 

The second half of the mall, to be located south of the first phase, generally has been envisioned to have major department stores plus small shops and eateries that complement the existing mall.

 

Premier has recently announced plans with Virginia-based Interstate Hotels and Resorts to build three hotels at Premier malls in Indianapolis, Plainfield and Williamsburg, Va.

 

The two in Indiana are to be Aloft hotels, a newly created upscale and trendy brand from New York-based Starwood Hotels.

 

Though no Aloft hotels are open, at least six are reported under construction around the country.

 

Cronk said the Aloft hotel planned in Metropolis is to be a 136-room, five-story building on top of the mall. The lobby entrance to the hotel would be on the second floor of the building above the shopping level.

 

He said plans could be presented to Plainfield officials by the end of this year, and the building could be under construction by early spring.

 

Aloft at Metropolis could open in spring 2009, according to Cronk and Jamie Cua, senior director of development for Starwood.

 

Concepts being discussed include two hotel towers on the mall, but Cronk could give no brand names for the second hotel and said no deals have been signed.

 

Aloft is designed like Starwood's popular but expensive W hotels, found only in large cities like Chicago.

 

"Starwood developed Aloft as a less-expensive alternative that can be developed in other Midwestern cities," Cua said.

 

Cronk estimated the development costs to be $12 million to $16 million for each of the three Starwood hotels Premier will build at its malls.