MOUNTAIN LAKES — Zeris Inn which has banquet facilities located at 372 Route 46 for over 45 years is looking to sell their property valued at $2,912,700.00 to Highview Homes.
On Monday, April 23, Highview Homes presented a “conceptual plan” to the Mayor and Council at the Mountain Lakes Township Council Meeting.
The conceptual plan includes a Home2 Suites by Hilton, three-story hotel with 112 suites and a Wawa Gas Station with a convenience store. According to the conceptual plan, there will be an entrance and exit on both Route 46 and Fox Hill Road. The Home2 Suites would occupy 22,870 square feet. There will be no restaurants within the hotel.
It is estimated when the property is finished it will have an approximate assessment of $25 million. The current property is assessed for $2,912,700.00. The land was assessed at $1,910,000.00 and the improvements to the property were assessed at $1,002,700.00.
Zeris Brothers, Inc., pays $74,914.64 annually in taxes to Mountain Lakes.
“Developer doesn’t see any impact on the surrounding area, since both businesses are highway driven and there is no reason to exit into the local neighborhoods,” said Jim Smith, Partner of Highview Homes.
New Jersey law imposes a Hotel Tax of 5% hotel occupancy fee to be paid on short-term accommodations of fewer than 90 consecutive days. Then a portion of the Hotel Tax is disbursed to the municipalities where the hotels are located. Parsippany which contains numerous hotels received $2,597,551.52 “Hotel Tax” from the State of New Jersey in 2018.
In addition to the New Jersey Hotel Tax, municipalities, is authorized to amend or adopt an ordinance to impose a Municipal Occupancy Tax of up to 3% on charges for hotel and motel occupancies in their municipality.
The property of 372 Route 46, Block 2, Lot 2, borders Denville on one side and Parsippany-Troy Hills on another.
Home2 Suites by Hilton is an affordable, all-suite extended-stay hotel featuring contemporary accommodations and customizable guest room design. Other Home2 Suites by Hilton located in New Jersey include Hasbrouck Heights, Bordentown, Edison, Newark Airport and Rahway.
Home2 Suites by Hilton is one of the fastest-growing brands in the history of Hilton, is a mid-tier, all-suite, award-winning extended-stay hotel concept designed to offer stylish accommodations with flexible guest room configurations and inspired amenities for the cost-conscious guest. With a commitment to environmentally friendly products and hotel operations, Home2 Suites offers complimentary breakfast selections with hundreds of combinations; innovative and customizable guest room designs; laundry and fitness areas; complimentary Wi-Fi internet access; multiple outdoor spaces; 24-hour business centers; expansive community spaces; and pet-friendly environments. Home2 Suites by Hilton has more than 235 hotels, and more than 415 in the pipeline.
Wawa started as a New Jersey iron foundry in 1803, and then became a dairy processing plant in Wawa, Pennsylvania, in 1902. The first Wawa Food Market opened in 1964 in Folsom, Pennsylvania, as an outlet for the company’s dairy products. Wawa now has more than 750 convenience stores and serves more than 400 million customers a year in six East Coast states—Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Florida. It offers one-stop shopping for gas, coffee and food, and is known for its friendly and welcoming staff—but that’s just the beginning.
Wawa will occupy 5,585 square feet.
The next step for Highview Homes would be to submit plans to the Mountain Lakes Planning Board for approval.
