[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6493686,"mediaKeyId","5503484-79bc511f8575fca3088eaff333c0fe78","parentId",5503484,"title","Two teams pitch competing plans to reopen downtown Trenton hotel; Hyatt‑centric and Radisson/Expo proposals presented","audioSeconds",740,"startMs",3960000,"endMs",4700000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5503484-79bc511f8575fca3088eaff333c0fe78&start=3960&end=4700","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5503484-79bc511f8575fca3088eaff333c0fe78/thumbnail_3960000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6493686/Trenton/Mercer-County/New-Jersey/Two-teams-pitch-competing-plans-to-reopen-downtown-Trenton-hotel-Hyattcentric-and-RadissonExpo-proposals-presented","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493686-1f14d40c3f87a9187152f70d42eb49ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172794&Signature=GyiQMmz4gnN1e7A4LAgNzEtOZ0eqMxSGjRN5XBGCYzREps6eOagGjnNJtJ6sWwgR1zWS0J3190RMWfFJFl4sL76Or1GK~lq2i37h-mY5tVya7~Y0tSX1ka4UTEBbGUIKv2Y1qP6S4LlHhfgIS7uuDweOnAiULw5xdrTMSlM29dIO~-JBpeQVFcOyuiwECJy7sv8vTzmQYlcZDofjJoapBAtIxtlRjYcemx~rBFRZlgqUv-~61iwSf~Fh4gyvMxgBPSuCsjMvtoSF~uoaDEQtw5BolBgRB8wPcEjdGfZodb85b6PNkYl1zZlOeTF9ylXF7vE7jGAQTYuum27NNwJd5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Trenton","date","2025-07-30T03:04:13.053Z","article","Two competing development teams gave the Trenton City Council presentations Wednesday outlining plans to reopen and redevelop the long‑vacant downtown hotel.

Millstone Holdings LLC (presenters led by George Alexander with operator partner TKO Hospitality/Costas Caliguroplos and developer Peter Abrams) proposed reopening the property as a Hyatt Centric full‑service hotel. The Millstone team said it would reduce the hotel’s current 197 rooms to about 150 rooms plus 20–30 extended‑stay suites, emphasize a 6,000‑square‑foot ballroom for weddings and events and operate food, beverage and live entertainment venues on site. The team estimated a renovation budget in the neighborhood of $30 million and said it had development partners and brand approval discussions underway with Hyatt.

\"Our goal is to bring here an international brand with a powerful name that will enhance your location in the city center,\" Costas Caliguroplos of TKO Hospitality said, adding that Hyatt Centric would aim to engage local residents and local hiring programs.

A second team led by Grace Fernandez and presenting as ExpoItalia/Global Expo proposed a mixed program combining 150 hotel rooms, an on‑site permanent trade and conference center (Expo Italia) and food and retail spaces aimed at international trade visitors and local residents. Choice Hotels/Marcus Thomas and a Radisson brand representative said the ExpoItalia team had qualified for Choice’s SOAR developer support program; the presenters said their plan would create exhibition space, a culinary incubator, a public gym and a rooftop amenity and projected phased investment totaling roughly $44 million over five years, with $20 million reportedly committed or available at present from team sources.

\"We will be creating a 25,000 square‑foot conference and trade center,\" Grace Fernandez said, describing anticipated contracts with international manufacturers and trade groups and an associated program of job creation and permanent trade‑show activity.

Both teams addressed financing, construction challenges and timelines. Millstone estimated that a conversion and refurbishment could move quickly once selected — presenters discussed a range of timelines from several months for initial phases up to multi‑year buildout — and flagged major items such as HVAC replacement and furniture/fixtures/equipment procurement as primary drivers of schedule. Peter Abrams (developer partner) described a conceptual construction budget near $30–40 million. The ExpoItalia/Choice team presented a phased schedule with a structural completion target for March 2026 for initial work and described existing engineering, environmental and appraisal work the team said it had completed.

Council members pressed the presenters on proof of funds, specificity of construction budgets and track records. The Millstone team said Hyatt’s brand approval process would include a property improvement plan (PIP) that would produce a detailed construction scope and that lenders typically review such packages before committing financing. The Millstone presenters emphasized hotel operations experience and an existing management network. The ExpoItalia team said they have access to financing arrangements and cited prior investor commitments, a claim the council asked the team to substantiate in follow‑up materials.

Business Administrator Maria Richardson confirmed the council previously set a submission deadline and told the public the city would accept proposals until the stated application deadline (the administration again referenced the council‑mandated application window). Council members said they will vet proposals for financial capacity, development track record and community commitments before selecting a preferred developer or advancing a redevelopment agreement.

Ending — No award or selection was made at the meeting. Council members said they will review bids, request further financial documentation and construction estimates from proposers, and likely invite finalists to return for more detailed briefings. Staff will circulate proposal materials to the council and schedule follow‑up interviews and site due diligence.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Trenton City Council, Special Meeting, July 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Two developer teams presented competing plans to reopen and redevelop the vacant downtown hotel, offering distinct programs: a Hyatt Centric full‑service conversion that cites a large ballroom and community integration, and an Expo‑focused Radisson/Choice proposal that pairs hotel rooms with a permanent trade‑show center and culinary/retail amenities.","taxTitle","Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey","taxId",2758,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6493692,"Trenton council confronts police staffing and entertainment‑district safety as ordinance debated",8460,0,8460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5503484-79bc511f8575fca3088eaff333c0fe78&start=0&end=8460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5503484-79bc511f8575fca3088eaff333c0fe78/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6493692/Trenton/Mercer-County/New-Jersey/Trenton-council-confronts-police-staffing-and-entertainmentdistrict-safety-as-ordinance-debated","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493692-9e6b32334674abf299af508e72f53ad3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771172794&Signature=Efbcnd8rrwtsds2BnwVuLTPgLX2Xa8xjrQ2x6tYe8Dsl-V9drvb~X3cUBIevTCwp2o9QNBhiicucazRy2-2Q67QmXs4PwGH2ev0VZeLk27d85mL910s3onG~3acdqgae4TuyYCZ1VY-RvRHPd4kGzOZhGbz2Uet9cKXKwXaGqFWGUSaLanveXIyRzfaaavw78KqVl9HHw3TzUBjADTCzN726QFL9rujGM4sY7R986VuPjXoFvpVqTXP08Xm-~GAhmOvbBaB1bFGq3Bb5QElxCZnh-473sRDiNJudDOuoQPcQ9GQ5DxUwE1konSPqjE8wShRYvGOR6JRXwX7N27mN9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trenton City Council members and residents pressed city officials Wednesday over police staffing levels, patrol deployment and enforcement in the city’s entertainment district, raising questions about how officers are assigned and whether the police department is using public funds efficiently.

The meeting opened with an account of department staffing that drew the sharpest scrutiny: \"We have 238 officers, 71 on patrol,\" a police representative told the council, saying roughly 165 officers were assigned to internal or specialized roles rather than regular patrol shifts. Council members and public speakers said they want more officers visible in entertainment and high‑crime areas.

The concern about patrol deployment came as the council considered an ordinance that would adjust permitted hours of operation for certain nonresidential businesses in the entertainment district. Council President Gonzales moved to table Ordinance 25‑069 on first reading; the motion carried on a roll call vote with unanimous support from members present.

\"What the councilman is referring to as a reduction is one of the adjustments that the city does at the end of the year,\" Maria Richardson, the business administrator, told the council when asked about budget numbers. She said year‑end adjustments reflect vacancies at the time the budget was adopted and that some appropriations are reallocated when positions go unfilled.

Mayor (present) defended the department’s record on major crimes and minority representation, saying crime is \"down statistically\" and that the department has solved every homicide reported so far this year. Still, several council members and residents said street visibility and response capacity remain inadequate.

Councilwoman Feliciano said the proposed ordinance applies only to the entertainment district and stressed that the council’s goal is public safety: \"We will be looking to amend the opening time, from 6 to an earlier time,\" she said during discussion of the ordinance’s language and exemptions. Several business owners who spoke at public comment urged the council not to penalize the majority of establishments that operate responsibly, saying earlier closing times would harm legitimate businesses.

Councilman Harrison pointed to the city’s budget history while pressing for clarity on police spending: he said an amendment in last year’s budget reflected a $7,900,000 reduction in policing and asked why a surplus was being reported. Richardson responded that the apparent surplus reflected unspent appropriations tied to vacancies and that those funds were being reallocated as intended.

The council also approved Resolution 25‑255 to change the municipal budget public hearing date (the new date was recorded in the meeting roll call). Council members said administrative deadlines for budget hearings needed adjustment to align with internal processes.

The meeting included extended public comment on policing and nightlife. Residents and business owners described recurring fights, loitering and a sense of lawlessness in parts of the downtown area and asked the council and administration to provide clearer enforcement and better coordination with the police department. Several speakers also objected to unlicensed cannabis sellers and urged the city to enforce licensing laws.

The council said it will continue reviewing ordinance language and enforcement options and that further discussion and amendments could return to a future meeting; for now, the ordinance was tabled and the council moved on to other agenda items.

Ending — The council did not adopt substantive new patrol policies at the meeting. Instead it paused action on the entertainment‑district ordinance and asked administration and police staff for additional information about staffing, budget adjustments and enforcement plans. Additional hearings and follow‑up briefings were promised as the council continues to weigh changes aimed at balancing nightlife, business activity and public safety.

","At a special Trenton City Council meeting, council members and the public pressed police leadership and the administration over patrol staffing, resource allocation and enforcement in the downtown entertainment district. Council tabled a proposed ordinance changing hours for some businesses and approved a separate administrative calendar change.","actionData","errors"]

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Two teams pitch competing plans to reopen downtown Trenton hotel; Hyatt‑centric and Radisson/Expo proposals presented

Trenton council confronts police staffing and entertainment‑district safety as ordinance debated