A long-awaited hotel designated for the former Jimmy’s Gym site in Franklin Township has broken ground.

Wayne Knirnschild, Lehighton Investment Group, told the crowd who gathered for the groundbreaking Tuesday afternoon at the future site of the Marriott TownePlace Suites Hotel it was a “long, hard road.”

“We’ve been working on this for almost four years,” Knirnschild said. “We want to make Carbon County grow and get bigger.”

Knirnschild said the growth of the area is his response to those who question why a third hotel needs to be built in Carbon County.

“Why another hotel? Just look around,” he said. “It’s growing.”

Knirnschild noted there was representation from the Carbon County Commissioners, a representative from state Rep. Doyle Heffley’s office, and a representative from Congressman Ryan Mackenzie’s office, as well as Franklin Township and Towamensing Township officials.

He added that he’s “never worked for anyone that is more of a tight-knit family.”

“I can’t wait to see this building built,” Knirnschild said.

Knirnschild said afterward the goal is for construction to start soon, and that from then the hotel should be completed within 14 months.

He said the hotel will be located on 6.3 acres, and noted it will have 98 rooms, a swimming pool, and kitchenettes for extended stays.

Knirnschild pointed out there’s another 2.5 acres of land next door they’re looking to develop, and that a chain restaurant would be ideal for that plot of land.

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.

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 changed to plan rejection of the project.

County planner Ivan O. Meixell Jr. said that the plans that were submitted in May 2025 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 Turnpike exit.