Schematic design presented for Jefferson City conference-center hotel; parking, room count and next steps debated

Designers and developers presented schematic designs Thursday evening for a proposed hotel and conference center on Capitol Avenue in Jefferson City, outlining the building’s size, program and schedule while council members focused questions on parking, room count and next procedural steps.

The project team described a hotel-and-conference-center development of about 190,000 gross square feet, centered on a 200‑room full‑service hotel, roughly 34,500 square feet of meeting space including a target 1,000‑person ballroom, and a multi‑level parking structure. "We won't go below 200," said Brian Murch of DLR Group, referring to the planned room count.

Why it matters: city officials and the development team said the facility is intended to bring statewide association business and other events to downtown Jefferson City, increase spending at local restaurants and shops, and activate the Capitol Avenue block between Madison and Monroe. The teams also described a timeline that anticipates further design work in 2025, construction starting in 2026, and a roughly 24‑month construction period once financing and approvals are final.

Design and program details The schematic plan locates a conference‑center entrance at the corner of Capitol and Monroe, a mid‑block hotel entrance, a signature restaurant facing the street, and a rooftop bar and pool with views toward the Capitol. The design team described a guest tower set at eight stories, a garage that will provide parking on a top deck and a hotel program that includes a governor’s suite and multiple food‑and‑beverage outlets.

Brian Murch of DLR Group walked the council through the site and floor plans and said the current schematic totals just under 190,000 square feet, with a mix of king and queen rooms, suites and public amenities. Jim Looney of Looney & Associates said interior design will use local motifs — river reflections, limestone tones and regional craftsmanship — and called the design narrative "where heritage meets hospitality." He also said the team will build a model guest room so council members and others can review materials and furnishings in person.

Parking and capacity questions Parking counts drew sustained attention. The design team said the proposed garage program is currently shown as 526 stalls; Brian Murch stated, "we're currently sitting at 526 parking stalls." Council members noted other figures in project documents: Councilman Miller referenced a geotechnical figure of about 515 and an exhibit tied to earlier documents showing 688 spaces. City staff told the council the 688 figure reflected a high‑end estimate and that the city has hired a parking operator to analyze actual demand and lease usage across downtown garages.

Paul (city staff) said the parking operator will assess shared‑use opportunities and utilization patterns and report recommendations back to the city. The presenters and staff emphasized that several differing numbers exist in reports and that the final parking program will be informed by the parking study and the design‑development process.

Construction, procurement and contracts McCownGordon (design‑builder) and Garfield Public/Private (development lead) explained the planned contracting path. The city will consider two key documents: a Master Development Agreement (MDA) to guide overall development roles and a Design‑Build Agreement (DBA) for design and construction. McCownGordon intends to issue early work packages that include demolition of the existing garage; presenters said those early packages will be incorporated into the eventual guaranteed maximum price (GMP) amendment rather than treated as standalone, add‑on costs.

Chris Martin of McCownGordon described the iterative costing process: schematic design yields more detailed takeoffs, the team refines materials and systems during design development, and the GMP amendment will follow once the capital stack and bond financing are in place. Presenters said the demolition package may go out for subcontractor pricing quickly after the DBA is approved so the site is prepared efficiently for construction.

Governance and next steps City attorneys and finance advisors are preparing organizational and financing documents. Staff said draft articles of incorporation and bylaws for the nonprofit entity that will lease the site from the city are under review and expected to come before the council at the administration committee meeting on Oct. 6. Presenters also said they are in active conversations with major hotel families — Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton — to identify a hotel brand and operator; the final brand selection, operator and asset manager will be documented later in the procurement process.

Schedule and procurement details presented to council members included: continued design development through 2025, early work packages (including garage demolition) to precede the full GMP, and a model room and FF&E procurement timeline of about 20–26 weeks once selections are finalized. The team said early work packages will be included in the GMP amendment to the design‑build contract.

Outstanding concerns and council direction Councilors repeatedly asked for full schematic packages in advance of committee meetings; staff said the schematics have been shared with city staff and will be circulated to council. Several council members also raised concerns about public access and affordability of on‑site food and beverage outlets and about the possibility that privately leased garage spaces downtown could limit conference parking. City staff said council will have authority over parking policy and lease decisions and that the parking operator will provide recommendations, but final policy decisions rest with the city.

What’s next The project team said the MDA, the design‑build agreement and the nonprofit's articles/bylaws will be on the administration committee agenda; council members asked to receive full schematic packages and the associated technical drawings in advance.

The presentation closed with the team asking for continued council feedback as the schematic package advances into design development, and staff saying the parking analysis and the legal/financial documents will be circulated before the next committee meeting.