‘Boutique’ hotel one of three Belleville projects to get city’s help with funding
Belleville city officials have signed development agreements with three property owners to help with the funding of local projects.
The biggest one is a planned renovation of a historic brick building on East Main Street that will create a “boutique” hotel called The Woodrow above a bar reminiscent of the 1920s.
“The hotel’s design (will pay) homage to the speakeasy era, providing a unique blend of sophistication and intrigue,” according to the developer’s business description. “Guests can unwind in a tranquil environment that transports them back in time.”
Hotel plans call for six guest rooms and six bathrooms with 12-foot-high ceilings, exposed brick walls, restored windows, king beds and high-end fixtures and appointments.
The second development agreement approved at a recent Belleville City Council meeting involves remodeling of The White Cottage restaurant on Lebanon Avenue.
The third agreement will allow a woman to buy a city-owned vacant lot on East Main Street for $1 and build a home.
Hotel and bar on North Jackson
The hotel’s developer is Aaron Laramore, a Belleville resident and financial adviser with Wealth Partners by Design. He plans to move his offices into the first floor of the building at 127 E. Main St. That space formerly housed Edward Jones Investments.
“The history of this building is so cool,” Laramore said.
The three-story building, now painted tan with bricked-up windows in front, was built in 1854 as a hotel and saloon, according to Bob Brunkow, historian for Belleville Historical Society. Adam Gintz bought it in the 1890s. He also operated Western Brewery, which later produced Stag beer.
Laramore has agreed to spend $650,000 or more on property acquisition and renovations, run The Woodrow for at least five years and pay a minimum of $300,000 a year in hotel/motel taxes.
The city will reimburse Laramore for $145,000 of renovation costs, reserve six parking spaces for guests in a city-owned lot and designate another two spaces for loading and unloading on North Jackson Street.
“It will just come out of the general fund, which we don’t do very often,” said Eric Schauster, director of grants and special projects, noting that city incentives usually consist of tax-increment-financing funds.
“But with this building not being in a TIF district, and it being such an important project for the city, we decided to move forward with it.”
First-floor renovations aren’t part of the development agreement. Behind his offices, Laramore plans to open an intimate, speakeasy-style bar called Faye’s open to the public on weekends.
With an entrance off North Jackson, the hotel and bar will be named after Laramore’s grandparents, Woodrow and Faye Weilmuenster. Guest rooms will honor he and his wife’s other grandparents.
Laramore also is part owner of a company that owns the building that houses Big Daddy’s 618, which is two blocks away. Big Daddy’s owner Scott Schmelzel called the project at 127 a “huge deal for downtown Belleville.”
“We don’t have anything like this,” Schmelzel said. “It’s a three-pronged development that will bring lots of people to spend money in our restaurants and shops. It will fill an empty building and bring tax dollars to the city.”
On paper, Laramore estimated that renovations would be completed in two years, but he believes it will happen sooner.
Restaurant on Lebanon
The White Cottage is a seasonal restaurant at 102 Lebanon Ave. that serves ice cream treats and sandwiches.
Owner Chris Cordie plans to spend a minimum of $60,000 to cover the outdoor patio, install some new siding, upgrade exterior lighting and do interior repairs, according to his development agreement.
The city will reimburse Cordie for $12,000 of remodeling costs, using money from the TIF 3 district fund.
“Those are all TIF-eligible expenses, and the goal of the program is to close the gap between what (businesses) can finance and the total amount to get a project over the hump,” Schauster said.
Cordie couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
In the agreement, he committed to operating the business for at least five years, retaining eight full-time-equivalent jobs, creating two new jobs in two years and paying taxes on at least $850,000 in annual sales.
Residential lot on East Main
City officials also entered into a development agreement with Leshawn Herron. She had recently bought a vacant, privately-owned lot next door to a vacant, city-owned lot at 2510 E. Main St.
Herron wanted to build a home, but her lot was too narrow, according to Schauster.
Under the agreement, the city is selling Herron its lot for $1. She is required to spend $150,000 to $200,000 to build a 1,500- to 2,000-square-foot home within two years, keep it a single-family residence for at least five years and properly maintain the property.
“It saves the city money because we don’t have to mow the grass anymore,” Schauster said.
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
