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Hotel Indigo is set to be completed by August. Pictured is a drawing of the hotel's restaurant.

(Handout)



NEWARK — Newark's downtown nightlife scene is about to get a little bit glitzier.

Construction on Hotel Indigo is set to finish this summer because of an influx of cash from from New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center co-owner Joshua Harris.

Harris is giving The Hanini Group, LLC a $14 million loan, which will help the Group finish the restaurant portion of the Hotel, said Samer Hanini, the project's principal developer.

“This round of financing helped us get to the finish line,” Hanini said. “I’m very excited about (it) because it's just been a long process.”

The hotel will be situated at 810 broad street on the site of the former First National State Bank building. The building, designed by Cass Gilbert, was built in the early 1900s but was rehabbed by the Hanini Group.

The hotel is expected to be completed in August, according to Hanini.

The 90,000 square foot hotel is 12 floors with about 106 rooms, tentatively priced at around $150 to $200 a night.

Each room will be equipped with an IPad, where guests can control room service, maid service and window shades, among other features.

On the ground floor, there will be a 4,000 square foot restaurant. There will also be a 3,000 square-foot rooftop bar and lounge open to guests and non-guests alike.

With the Prudential Center located nearby, Hanini said he expects the hotel to become a go-to destination.

“There is no other rooftop bars in Newark," said Hanini. “It's going to be a hip place to be.”

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