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Sunday, October 12, 1975meBy JIM GREENFIELDProgress*Index Staff WriterPETERSBURG — The first thing most tourists will see as they approach this city from the interstate in the next few years is the new Ramada Inn.Rising nine stories above Washington Street behind the information center, the $4 million Ramada Inn will physically dominate theInterstate 95 cloverleaf.Workmen are now putting the finishing touches on the inn, which will have a restaurant and cocktail lounge and enough meeting rooms to make it a likely choice for conventioneers and civic gatherings. •Richmond architects Armstrong and Salamonsky, Ltd., designed the structure which accentuates • contemporary design both inside and out. .On the first floor, where the lobby is located, is the Presidential Banquet Room, which seats 600 peosotts for conference and 400 for dinner.The Presidential is actually two banquet rooms, which can be separated by a soundproof panel • divider. The room features unique skylights to prevent anyone from getting a “closed-in feeling,'’ according to the inn’s sales manager, Mrs. Jean Lum.Adjacent to the banquet room is a large serving area, from which three groups can be served at once. Several groupsis*s' -have already met in this area and were very impressed with the facilities and the quality fo the food, Mrs. Lum said.The quality of the food is .the responsibility of chef Pete Andre, who has drawn rare reviews for his initialproductions, Mrs. Lum said.lie will supervise the kitchen at the Charcoal Hearth Restaurant, located on the inn’s S-l” level just below the lobby.« AErf;I•a sc/. ^ \,r) ' I V ' ■ ( : 40 ^The restaurant is leased by Tom Ross, who has achieved ^ considerable notoriety for hts eateries in Washington and Richmond.Also on S-l and adjacent to the restaurant is the Eagles Nest Lounge, a comfortably appointed watering spot that will eventually feature live entertainment, Mrs, Lum said.The restaurant seats 206 diners, while the lounge holds 160.Neither lounge nor restaurant wilt be fully operational until Nov. l, Mrs. Lum said, because there will not be adequate parking for customers until then.On the “S-2” level, there will be another conference room, as yet incomplete and unnamed.There will be 200 rooms forrent, 15C of which svill contain two double beds of more than 30 will have one king-size bed.Construction is still in progress both inside and out, although the inn officially opened last week.Inside, the second and ninth floors the latter containing bridal suites—will be the last completed. Parking facilities for 300 vehicles and exterior landscaping are also incomplete.Mrs. Lum said a patio will be furnished for outside entertainment on the Washington Street side below the lobby.The Ramada Inn is owned by a number of partners, some of whom are local. It is managed by Mike Ogdin.WMif“. / . 4 , Slaff Pholo by Jim GreenfieldInn s Mam Desk In Lobby Is Already Hub Of Activity*. :*Eagles Nest lounge Will Be Spot To Relax
Newspaper Details
Petersburg Progress Index
Petersburg, Virginia, US
Sun, Oct 12, 1975
Page 32
Full Page
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USA 28 May 2020
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