Although there hasn’t been much chatter concerning the Apponaug Waterfront Hotel, Ray D’Abate and Apponaug Waterfront Development LLC have been slowly but surely working their way to beginning construction on the project.

“I have devoted 100 percent of my time to ensuring we get that shovel in the ground as soon as possible,” D’Abate, executive vice president of the LLC, said last week.

Sallie D’Agostino Pisaturo owns the Apponaug Waterfront Development and her husband Joseph Pisaturo owns the land the hotel will be on. D’Abate has been friends with the Pisaturos for more than 30 years.

The projected 134,000-square-foot hotel, with six floors and 127 rooms, came before the zoning board nearly two years ago, with hopes of starting construction in 2015. Now, the hope is to start construction by the end of spring this year.

Since the city council and community meetings in 2014, D’Abate said the development, which will cost upwards of $24 million, has been “refining and defining” their project, to secure an identity for the hotel before moving forward.

The past two years have been heavy in research into the hospitality market, and what would be the most successful framework for the hotel, finally deciding on a “boutique hotel” concept.

“We want to bring the community feeling to the hotel,” D’Abate said. “We want our guests to experience that real New England atmosphere, to feel like they are part of the community while they are here and not just passing through.”

He said guests aren’t interested in the “cookie cutter” hotel anymore and the Apponaug Waterfront Hotel needs to cater to the new dynamic.

Although the hotel, to be a Wyndham Hotel and Resorts franchise, will have a historic feeling, right on the waterfront of Apponaug Cove, following the aesthetic of the rest of historic Apponaug Village, it will have all the “bells and whistles” with state-of-the-art amenities, a quality restaurant and an upscale spa. All 127 rooms will be distinct in some way.

Initially, the hotel was planned closer to the water and 10 stories and there was pushback from neighbors, fearful the hotel would cause issues for the environment and traffic. D’Abate and the Apponaug Waterfront Development held community meetings clearing up misconceptions and taking recommendations. They have since reduced the number of floors, moved further from the coastal buffer and have ensured that there will be no access restrictions for residents to the cove. The project will also be improving Station Street for the neighborhood.

“Since our meetings, there have been nothing but positive feedback from the community,” D’Abate said. “We want to be a part of the neighborhood, be good and friendly neighbors.”

Mayor Scott Avedisian, who has been a supporter of the hotel from early on, is excited that the project is finally starting to come to fruition.

“I think it’s a good indication that the community is in favor of this project that the Apponaug Improvement Association was the first to speak up in favor at their zoning hearing,” Avedisian said.

He believes the Apponaug Waterfront Hotel will be a signature development and a great “bookend” along with the refurbished Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce building (CRICC) to the new Apponaug Village.

Currently, D’Abate is finalizing an application to submit to the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), and focusing to secure financial backing. The next step would be a construction permit. The city building permit alone could cost upwards of $133,000.

Once the “shovel is in the ground,” it should be about 14 months altogether for construction and the building to be open and running at full capacity. The plan is to open the hotel in stages throughout the construction process to start getting the name out there.

Currently, D’Abate estimates the Apponaug Waterfront hotel will be completely open by the end of spring 2017, which Avedisian believes will be a great way to kick off the summer season.

“We are excited to have this kind of investment in the area and will be a great addition to community. I give credit to Mr. D’Abate for staying the course,” he said.

With so many changes happening here and Warwick, as well as across the state, D’Abate is hopeful that the need for hotels will increase in the next couple of years.

He cited Governor Gina Raimondo’s aggressive plan to bring companies into the state, the increasing popularity of local education institutions like New England Institute of Technology, the expansion of the airport as well as Quonset Business Park and the growing knowledge district in Providence.

“Rhode Island is on the edge of making a turn for the positive and we want to be ready for when that happens,” he said.