Hotel planned on Forbes

Oakland may soon see the arrival of its seventh hotel.

The hotel will be located directly… Oakland may soon see the arrival of its seventh hotel.

The hotel will be located directly between Pitt’s and CMU’s campuses, near the corner of Forbes Avenue and Craig Street, overlooking Junction Hollow.

The Museum Park Hotel, a preliminary name, is scheduled to be completed by 2010.

The exact hotel name and flag will be determined at a later date, project manager Sara Kroloff said.

Kroloff said that Pittsburgh-based firm R. E. Crawford Construction will be in charge of the building, which will feature 225 rooms and stand 11 stories high.

The hotel will also include a two-story underground valet garage, as well as a lounge, restaurant, outdoor dining area, spa, salon, exercise facility and meeting rooms on the first two floors.

A gas station currently stands at 4621 Forbes Ave., the location of the new hotel. An attendant at the station said he was aware of the hotel plan, but was uncertain about the time line for the new construction.

Also in city news, City Council swore in an incumbent president and three new members Monday.

Council President Doug Shields, who’s held the office since 2006, received an 8-0 vote, despite facing up to six other council members as opponents for the position.

Also sworn in on Monday were three new council members, Ricky V. Burgess, Patrick Dowd and Bruce Kraus.

Kraus, the first openly gay man to serve on the council, represents Disctrict 3, which includes parts of Oakland and the South Side.

He is also chairman of the council’s committee on public safety services.