Candice Williams
The Detroit News

Detroit — After nearly two years of construction, the Godfrey Hotel in Corktown is set to open its doors to its first guests in August.

The developers, Farmington Hills-based Hunter Pasteur Homes and Chicago-based Oxford Capital Group, gave a tour Monday of the $75+ million project, a seven-story, 227-room hotel at 1401 Michigan Ave.

The Godfrey Hotel on Michigan Avenue in Detroit is slated to open later this summer. Robin Buckson, The Detroit News

In addition to its hotel rooms, the newly constructed building will feature four meeting spaces, two bars, a fitness center and a restaurant. There’s already weddings booked for the venue, said Aaron Black, general manager for Oxford Hotels.

“It’s certainly a nice contemporary setting for downtown Detroit,” he said. “There’s an interesting blend of options when you’re looking for event space in downtown Detroit.”

Construction crews worked throughout the property on Monday, in anticipation of receiving a certificate of occupancy from the city this week. The hotel’s 227 rooms range from 318 to 490 square feet. The nightly rate will be about $275, Black said. Guests can make reservations for as soon as the first week of September.

The building’s four meeting spaces include a 5,100-square-foot grand ballroom. An indoor and outdoor bar, called IO Lounge, has a retractable skylight. The light-filled space has been popular with brides planning their weddings, Black said.

The Godfrey’s upcoming opening comes as hospitality leaders say there is a need for more hotel space in downtown Detroit and the immediate area.

The Godfrey Hotel, set to open in August, will feature four meeting spaces, two bars, a fitness center and a restaurant. Robin Buckson, The Detroit News

“I think just the involvement in more hotels changes the market,” Black said. “We hear a lot from the folks at the (convention and visitor’s bureau) that if we had more hotel rooms, we’d be considered for bigger programs. So I think we’re changing the face of the Detroit market to some degree.”

A ground floor restaurant, The Hamilton, is expected to open later this year. Detroit restaurateur Samy Eid conceptualized the eatery that’s expected to focus on classic American fare. Diners will have a full view of the brick-paved Michigan Avenue undergoing an infrastructure rebuild for the Detroit Mobility and Innovation Corridor. Ford Motor Co.’s Michigan Central Station sits nearby.

Oxford Capital Group is also leading the development of the 300-unit Perennial Apartments, another project on Michigan Avenue. Residents are expected to move in during December, Black said.