Developer Skip Rowley was all smiles as he and his daughter, Kari Magill, broke ground on the Homewood Suites by Hilton. An extended-stay hotel, it will have 123 rooms. Homewood Suites is being built adjacent to Rowley’s other Hilton property, the Hilton Garden Inn, which has 179 rooms.

The extended-stay hotels are designed for travelers who are staying for more than a few days or a week. Each room will have a kitchen with a full-size refrigerator and all the modern appliances. Rowley said many of their guests are Costco executives from out of town.

“The guys who come here annually stay a long time,” Rowley said. “So we’ve lost that business.”

Rowley said he had two studies done to support the concept, and there is a need. The building won’t have a typical restaurant, rather a dining area for guests who don’t feel like cooking. They will be offered a free hot breakfast daily and dinner with a fixed menu.

Rowley said his family owns the land and buildings for both properties, and he also owns the Hilton franchise for both facilities. The Hotel Group of Edmonds manages both properties.

Gall, Landau, Young (GLY) of Bellevue is the general contractor for the project — it also built the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bellevue. The project executive for GLY is Bill DeJarlais. The project is being financed by Washington Trust Bank; the building was designed by Abbott Architecture.

A rendering of Homewood Suites by Hilton, Issaquah.

People mingle and enjoy hors d’oeuvres at the groundbreaking.