A pair of downtown Iowa City hotels are closing along with a popular bar and restaurant.
HotelVetro and Hotel Chauncey, two downtown Iowa City hotels part of the Hilton Hotels brand and managed by HawkeyeHotels, will permanently close at the end of the month. HotelVetro was expected to close Monday, Nov. 24, followed by Hotel Chauncey on Sunday, Nov. 30.
SpareMe, an all-inclusive entertainment venue with a bowling alley, arcade, restaurant, and bar, is closing on Wednesday, Nov. 26, the company shared on its social media.
“After 5+ years of business, we are beyond sad to say we are closing our doors,” the post reads. “We’ve loved getting to know you. Thank you so very much for the community.”
The three businesses are tennants of several foreclosed properties that went unsold at a sheriff’s sale on Tuesday, Nov. 18. GreenState Credit Union previously sued Marc and Monica Moen, Robert Jett and others over more than $20 million of unpaid mortgages in February. The bank will continue to own the buildings.
GreenState Credit Union, which owns the foreclosed Plaza Towers, The Chauncey and Park@201 buildings, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It is unclear whether the closure of the two downtown hotel properties, which have 107 rooms combined, and SpareMe are due to the foreclosure. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reached out to the hotel managers, Hilton Hotels, and HawkeyeHotels for comment, but did not receive animmediate response.
HotelVetro was a downtown Iowa City landmark for 20 years
HotelVetro kicked off the hotel boom in Iowa City when it opened in 2005, helping the district become “more dense and walkable, constantly drawing more workers and visitors to the area,” according to the Iowa City Downtown District. Hotel Chauncey is one of the newest hotels in Iowa City, opening in 2019.
SpareMe will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Wednesday, Nov. 26, offering half-off food deals while supplies last.
What is next for businesses in Iowa City’s foreclosed mixed-use properties?
Several other business call the three mixed-use, foreclosed buildings home, including Formosa, a bar and restaraunt in the Plaza Towers as well as Fix! Coffee and The Tuesday Agency in the Chauncey building.
The businesses had not announced intentions to close as of 2 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24.
Fix! nor the Tuesday Agency, a “full-service lecture agency,” responded to a request for comment. Formosa opens at 4 p.m. on Mondays.
FilmScene bought its Chauncey Building location in 2021. In August, with the help of local non-profit Resilient Sustainable Future for Iowa City, FilmScene purchased its original theatre location at 118 E. College St., which was part of the initial foreclosure proceedings.
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: A pair of Iowa City hotels, popular entertainment venue are closing.
Reporting by Jessica Rish, Iowa City Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
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