Construction has begun on new 16-storey Hampton Inn hotel in downtown Calgary.

Local developer Triple One Properties is developing the project, which was designed by Norr Architects, a global firm that has an office in Calgary and three other Canadian locations. The development is located at 6th Avenue S.W. and 6th Street S.W.

According to an Alberta government major projects webpage, the construction cost is $27 million. The City of Calgary issued a building permit in August.

The hotel will contain 151 guest rooms and an automated underground parking lift system.

The Hampton Inn and Suites chain is owned by U.S.-based hotelier Hilton Worldwide. The construction start comes as Canadian hotels are seeing significant business increases in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the summer, room-rate and occupancy levels were at their highest levels since the pandemic, but still not up to pre-pandemic levels. The U.S.-based Warwick hotel chain marked its expansion into Canada by opening Warwick Le Crystal in downtown Montreal.