Construction of a planned hotel designated for the former Jimmy’s Gym in Franklin Township could start soon.

Wayne Knirnschild, Lehighton Investment Group, told supervisors on Tuesday the group has met the conditions.

“The letter of credit that has been submitted into the bank; it should be here Friday,” Knirnschild said. “We would like to be able to get a building permit and start construction of the hotel as soon as possible.”

Township solicitor Tom Nanovic then suggested to supervisors to have board Chairman Nick Storm sign the development agreement once it’s approved by Nanovic.

The motion passed on a 2-0 vote. Supervisor Leroy Kemmerer Jr. was absent.

In December, supervisors unanimously granted conditional approval for Eagle Hospitality LLC/TownePlace Suites based on finalizing the agreements, and finalizing the water service from the well.

The bond amount is $787,776. Nanovic said at that time that from his end, that would be the development agreement, stormwater agreement and subdivision bond.

Knirnschild said at that time he had letters from the bank and the contractor, and noted water surface was being worked on.

In November, supervisors on a 2-0 vote granted final approval of several waivers for Eagle Hospitality LLC/TownePlace Suites preliminary/final land development.

The waivers were for access drives and landscaping that are to be defined with concrete curbing, or such alternate material as may be approved by the township; one planting island is to be provided for every 10 parking stalls; and stormwater basin surface discharge.

That action came after the board unanimously granted conditional plan approval with the condition that if the comments outlined aren’t adequately mitigated before the preliminary/final plan approval, then the county’s recommendation changes to plan rejection of the project.

County planner Ivan O. Meixell Jr. said that the plans were submitted in May were for three stories.

Meixell said that property lines and distance discrepancies that exist between the recorded map of the property and the plan are fixed. An erosion and sediment pollution control plan had to be approved by the Carbon County Conservation District.

Interchange Investment Group LLC of Bethlehem purchased the 9-acre property at 1055 Interchange Road in 2019 for $1.1 million.

There are currently two hotels within a 1-mile radius of that section just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike exit.