DEKALB, Ill. (WIFR) – DeKalb’s newest hotel will sit between an auto repair shop and a gas station, but there’s one more hurdle to clear.

The Marriott-branded hotel should break ground in September if the DeKalb City Council approves it at the meeting on Monday.

“It’s a good sign of what has been developing on the east and southeastern side of the city.”

Meta, Amazon and Ferrera are three major redevelopment projects in DeKalb and the first full-service hotel on the east side of town on two and a half acres of Peace Rd. north of Pleasant St. could soon add to that.

“Any hotel will add to the property tax revenue the hotel tax and should be a catalyst for further development on Peace Road,” says DeKalb Planning Director Dan Olson.

Now a final plan awaits approval from DeKalb City Council. Two Marriott brands will share the 120-room building with half for extended stays and the others for standard stays. Developer Pramit Patel owns two hotels on the west side of town by Northern Illinois University. He saw a need for another after those hotels filled up.

“The hotel in that area will serve a lot of residents and travelers coming to the community,” says Olson.

It could also boost the economy in Sycamore for business owners like Makie Maratos.

“I have family from out of town and they come, and they don’t have many options. Sometimes when large events are going on at NIU they book up pretty quick,” says Maratos.

Maratos not only owns the village he also owns the sycamore theater. He says this will bring more foot traffic to the streets, which is a win for local businesses.

“There’s a lot of tourism going on and having those hotels and having more space for them is a great thing,” says Maratos.

The site of the proposed hotel was rezoned in 2023. Final plans up for recommendation include engineering, renderings, landscape and lighting. Upon approval, the city will obtain building permits and site work should start next month with an August 2025 opening date.

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