By Patrick McArdle
STAFF WRITER

MANCHESTER - The Development Review Board last week approved a proposal, which came from a local business owner, to build a two-story, 74,000-square-feet, 80-room hotel with an Asian theme off of Route 7A.

Richard Jones, the project manager, said the applicant, Alpaslan Basdogan, was very pleased with the decision.

“We’re excited to be moving forward. In the near future, we’ll be filing for an Act 250 permit and we hope to be able to break ground in the spring of 2013,” he said.

The hotel, proposed as the Asia Minor Spa and Hotel, would be located within a parcel of land, about 40 acres, known locally as the former Hosley farm. It would include a Mespotamian-Turkish spa complex with rooms for exercise, yoga and massages and a Mediterranean-style restaurant and kitchen.

An organic farming operation is planned for the grounds to supply the kitchen and a gallery and classroom would be included in the main building.

A farmhouse and a barn already on the property would be renovated and restored to preserve their historic character.

The farmhouse would be used as a private guest house and the barn would be converted to office use and storage space for the hotel and Basdogan’s existing business.

For the complete story, see Thursday's Rutland Herald.