Hyatt Place hotel opens in Cross County Shopping Center

Hyatt Place New York/Yonkers, a 155-room hotel, officially opened Wednesday in the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers.

“Hyatt Place was designed for a lifestyle, not a demographic, and as a result, we are confident that everyone from business travelers to families will appreciate the open, intuitive design, casual atmosphere and practical amenities,” General Manager Jason Bomba said in a statement.

Construction on the approximately $25 million, 75,000-square-foot project broke ground in February 2014 and posed certain challenges for developers Friend Development Group LLC of  Manhattan and Yonkers LW Hotel Associates LP.

The eight-story tower, a former office and hospital building, had to be retrofitted while ground-floor retail tenants remained open for business during the construction period.

“Everyone who looked at this project before me walked away. They said it couldn”™t be done,” said James Friend, president and CEO of Friend Development Group, in 2014.

Launched in 2006, the Hyatt Place brand now includes 215 hotels worldwide including in Armenia, China, Costa Rica, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Morocco, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates.