Ariel Hotel to reopen rooftop for spring

Spring is in the air, and soon, admirers of Lorain’s waterfront will be, too.

The Ariel Broadway Hotel by Cobblestone, 301 Broadway in downtown Lorain, will open its rooftop for cocktails and snacks starting April 23, said Radhika Reddy, the Cleveland businesswoman who led the rejuvenation of the Broadway Building.

The Ariel Rooftop Sunset Bar, with a panoramic vista of Lake Erie, the Black River and downtown Lorain, will open from 5 p.m. to sunset, Tuesdays through Sundays.

Travel and outdoor events went on hold in 2020 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The rooftop became a popular spot in summer last year, with part of the renovated hotel with merchants and restaurants leading the transformation of downtown.

Warm weather this spring already is inspiring people to call and ask when they can visit the roof, said Reddy and Manager Laurie Cadwallader.

People may be reluctant to gather in large groups, but outdoor conditions generally are safer than indoors for risk of spreading COVID-19, Reddy said.

“People still want to be on the rooftop, so we thought, let’s open it up early,” she said.

Reddy and Cadwallader agreed just about everyone is tired of quarantines and sheltering in place.

“They want to be out, they want to be with people, they want to see their bands play, they want to go to these festivals and just be around people and relax,” Cadwallader said. “Not only have we been isolated, but no one can relax.

“Hopefully, we’re allowed to gather and be human again. We’re social beings. We’re not meant to stay apart.

“I am so looking forward to it. It’ll be cool. I’m excited.”

Plans are to stay open through Oct. 31, with a special evening planned for Lorain’s July 4 fireworks.

“I’m already getting orders for July 4,” Cadwallader said.

There will be new table umbrellas for shade this summer and portable heaters to take the chill off cool nights.

There will be a $20 cover charge, which includes two alcoholic drinks or up to four soft drinks and pub snacks such as chips and salsa.

The charge is necessary to pay for set-up and takedown of tables and linens on the roof, Reddy said.

That becomes a laborintensive process, but needed due to potential wear and tear from winds and weather.

Attendance will be limited to 125 people to allow proper social distancing due to COVID-19.

Reservations are requested to ensure a table, but walk-in visitors may attend if seats are available.

The hotel’s two restaurants, Game On Lorain and Dodie’s Dockside, will offer a rooftop menu with carry-along meals that people can order indoors and take upstairs.

The pandemic caused health precautions and economic conditions that hit the hotel hard, Reddy said.

The hotel held its grand opening in March 2020, just days before Ohio began business shutdowns attempting to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Due to the timing of hiring and start dates for employees, the hotel did not qualify for the federal Paycheck Protection Program funding, Reddy said.

With travel at a standstill due to the pandemic, it has sat largely vacant, with some exceptions, but the overhead of maintaining the building has not changed, she said.

Reddy credited the city of Lorain for financial assistance through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act.

It was the only government help available to the Ariel Broadway Hotel.

The pandemic also hurt event scheduling for 2021 because last year, no one knew what conditions would be like this year, so a lot of planning and booking went on hold, Reddy said.