Plainview Residence Inn to lay off staff of 80 for renovation, rebranding

A Plainview hotel will be laying off its staff early next year in preparation for extensive renovations and a rebranding effort.  

The Residence Inn by Marriott located at 9 Gerhard Rd. in Plainview plans to lay off its staff of 80 employees, according to a WARN notice the Labor Department posted on its website last week. The 170-room hotel’s franchise agreement with Marriott will no longer be in effect starting on Dec. 28, leading to a planned closure and rebranding, an official with the local franchise owner said.

“We can no longer be a Marriott,” said Patti Basile, human resources director at Greenbriar Associates LLC, the owner of the Plainview franchise. Basile said the property, which has been used as a hotel for around 30 years, “needs some major renovations.”

Hotel employees have already been notified of the layoffs, she said, and the employer has been in contact with the Labor Department regarding potential employment assistance programs.

Basile said franchise owners are negotiating with another hotel brand but could not provide additional details.

“It would take anywhere from 8 to 12 months, maybe longer, to complete those renovations,” she said. “Unfortunately, a lot of people will be laid off in the interim.”

Basile said the renovations could cost anywhere from $10 million to $12 million and would include upgrades to rooms and common areas