Downtown Medina is getting ready for a new addition.
The Legacy at Medina Square, a 78-room hotel and event center, expects to break ground in March or April.
Developers said there hasn’t been a hotel in the downtown since the 1950s.
“Having been in the real estate business for over 55 years. I got tired of waiting for somebody else to do it,” said Jim Gerspacher, an adviser for the $22-million project. He recently owned the land where the hotel will be constructed on South Main Street across the street from Castle Noel.
“There used to be some hotels in town until the late mid-50s which at that time disappeared and people had to go out to OH-18 and I-71 to find hospitality,” Gerspacher said.
He said that with more people coming to the city for business and entertainment, there’s a growing need for a hotel within walking distance of all the action.
“They can’t just pass through,” Gerspacher said. “They need to stay and spend a little money. And this is the type of project that holds visitors here. (It) gives them the opportunity to shop, to dine, and learn about our history.”