SoLa, a long-planned luxury hotel/condo complex on Michigan City’s lakefront, is inching closer to shovels in the ground.

Farpoint Development has announced a hotel partner, Marriott International, which will place a Renaissance hotel on the site.

In addition, Michigan City’s city council has approved financial incentives for SoLa. The city created an economic improvement district (EID) and both TIF and EID bonds will be sold. I’ve asked the city for details but have not heard back.

The 2.8-acre SoLa (south of the lake) site is at the end of Franklin Street on State Rt. 12, close to the Lubeznik Center and where, until recently, a large blue “You Are Beautiful” sign stood.

Marriot’s Renaissance Hotel at SoLa takes the place of a Wyndham hotel, which was previously announced as a partner in the development. The Renaissance will have 240 rooms, including 24 suites, on-site covered parking and amenities such as a full-service spa, fitness center and indoor pool with a retractable glass wall opening onto a lakeside terrace. A restaurant with an open-air dining deck overlooking the lake is planned for the hotel’s 12^th floor, while a ballroom and meeting spaces will be one flight below.

“Having an on-site hotel of this caliber is a win for travelers and a game-changer for SoLa residents,” Farpoint principal Scott Goodman said in a release. “From access to top-tier restaurants and event space with sweeping views of the lake to a place for overflow guests to stay just steps from your front door, it’s about enhancing everyday living with resort-style convenience.”

SoLa’s 170 condominiums will be in two towers that rise six and 12 stories along its south and west sides, while 18 two-story townhomes will be located along the north and west sides of the project.  Prices start at the low $400,000s for a one bedroom unit to mid $1.2 million for a four-bedroom duplex. Thirty-three condos have been sold; two other contracts are outstanding.

Lenders typically want to see 30%-50% of units sold before granting financing to a big project like this.

The development’s 3,309-square-foot penthouse with its own terrace has also been sold to a Chicagoan who has not been named.

Connecting the residences with the Renaissance Hotel is a 396-space, climate-controlled parking garage that sits below an outdoor resident-only amenity deck with a four-season pool and hot tub area with a retractable roof; lounge seating and cabanas; fire pits; a dog walk and dog wash station; and landscaped areas for year-round activities such as community events, outdoor movies and more. SoLa also will have 21,000 square feet of commercial space, with plans for tenants including food and beverage options and an outdoor outfitter.  

SoLa was designed by award-winning Koo Architecture, who designed The Wit and Sable at Navy Pier in Chicago.

Construction is slated to begin in January 2026 after several delays. It will take approximately two years to complete. Developers say they expect to create 275 permanent, full-time jobs and hundreds of seasonal positions.

Goodman has developed several projects in Chicago, including Google’s headquarters in Fulton Market.