Napa’s Archer Hotel debut delayed again

The Archer Hotel project in downtown Napa, initially slated for a fall 2016 opening, then spring, then summer 2017, will now be opening in October.

While the pushed-back date shouldn’t affect new tenants going into the development, nearby businesses continue to be affected by the construction.

Delays can be blamed on the heavy rain the North Bay received earlier this year, which caused flooding according to Cheryl Gilliam, LodgeWorks senior vice president brands and marketing. LodgeWorks is the owner and developer of the Archer Hotel collection.

When open, the five-story, 183-room hotel, on First Street will feature a Charlie Palmer steak restaurant, rooftop entertainment, outdoor fireplaces and a shallow ledge pool.

It is the centerpiece of a 325,000-square-foot mixed-use development, by far one of the largest construction projects in the heart of Napa since the former Copia museum and The Riverfront shops, offices and housing.

The entire project around the hotel, called First Street Napa, will add more than 45 shops and restaurants to the area and is estimated to cost more than $200 million.

Delays will add cost to the project, but “We’re working closely with SD Deacon, the general contractor, to mediate those expenses and meet the revised schedule,” Gilliam said.

Also, “We continue to coordinate timing with the First Street Napa development to ensure that plans for newly announced tenants can proceed as planned. The First Street Napa timeline has not been impacted by Archer Hotel Napa’s new opening date,” she said.

Meanwhile, businesses along First Street have been enduring the construction for two years, and at least one didn’t make it.

Legends and Lore gift shop sat on the backside of construction, on Coombs St. A make-shift sign had been posted on the corner, pointing to the shop, and customers had to walk under scaffolding to get to the store.

“I had to close it. There was no business due to being surrounded by construction, being flooded multiple times, dust… it was horrific,” said owner JoAnne Strickland, who also had a grievance with the building’s owner about rising rents. “I have moved on to opening my own film and TV production studio and will be filming a TV series I wrote, so I am happy to leave that nightmare behind,” she said.

Businesses across the street from the construction zone are still enduring the wait.

Jessica Mosher is a co-owner of Yarns on First Street, located across from the Archer construction. Last year, she told the Journal foot traffic was way down, and inside the shop, the owners and customers endure the construction noise, which is fairly constant.

Recently, she said “We’re still in the same situation (as last year) very much impacted by all the construction and not reaping the benefits of any progress. It will be a really great draw for locals and tourists, and we still feel positive about downtown, it just feels like (the construction) is taking forever.”

CORRECTION: The Archer Hotel will have a shallow ledge pool, not a swimming pool.

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