The block at the corner of East Jefferson and South McKean streets has been home to various businesses in the city's history.

The Butler School of Music was there in the 1920s.

The Butler County Oil Building stood tall throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s as did various other shops ranging from florists to shoe repair.

It was part of a booming downtown during the first half of the last century, but the block dwindled over time.

The empty block has been a gravel parking lot for a number of years, but now the dream of something more is set to become a reality.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Marriott Springhill Suites hotel was held there on Friday.

The hotel will be the centerpiece of the Centre City project that also will bring a new Rite Aid pharmacy and a 225-lot parking garage downtown.

Art Cordwell, the director of the city redevelopment authority, was thrilled to host the ceremony after leading the project over the past three years.

“It's very exciting,” he said. “I think this is a great day for the city of Butler, and I can't say enough about all the people that worked so hard for so long to get us here.”

It has been more than a decade since talks began to bring a hotel downtown.

The original ideas of a large multipurpose convention center with a large hotel proved to not be feasible for the city. But the thought of a hotel to help revitalize the city remained tempting to officials.

“No one will ever say Butler is not determined to get its projects,” said Mayor Maggie Stock, who worked through both of her terms as mayor to bring the hotel. “It's thrilling to be on the site of the new hotel.”

Stock said the hotel is the key to economic development in the city, and she credited a number of people for making it happen.

“Everyone out there played a vital role in charting the course for the city's future,” she told the audience at the ceremony.

Stock wasn't alone in her ambitions for the site.

Jack Cohen, president of the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, said he is confident the hotel will be successful.

“It's long overdue,” he said. “Anything that will bring people into the city is a good thing.”

Cohen said he is working on booking rooms for the hotel. He noted that he's already received interest from the state's women's bowling convention, which will be in the city in 2016.

“It's 16 weeks long,” he said. “It's a big deal. We hosted the men's tour two years ago, and it generated nearly $2 million.”

Talking about the project, Cordwell said, “There's a risk in everything you do in business. We've tried to minimize all of those risks and get it down to where it's doable, and we believe we have.”

Fred Reese, who is the chairman of the redevelopment authority's board, also is convinced the hotel will be a success.

“Butler County can support more hotels,” he said. “I have 100 percent confidence in it. If I didn't, I wouldn't have pushed for it.”

County Commissioner Bill McCarrier said development of the city is vital.

“Many people don't realize how important this is to the county,” he said. “It's important that the county seat has a beautiful Main Street. One that's full of businesses, not empty storefronts.”

McCarrier said the project is a testament to the drive of the people in Butler.“The people of Butler have a vision,” he said. “We're not people sitting back and just waiting for something to happen. We're making it happen.”Several politicians attended to help celebrate the hotel as well.U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, of Butler said he is excited to see the hotel come about.“What about making Butler a destination and not just a drive through?” he asked. “Could this possibly be good for Butler? My god, what have we been waiting for?”Kelly, who served on the redevelopment authority when plans were first being introduced years ago, said he remembers the initial talks.“I remember we scratched our heads and asked if they really thought it could happen in Butler,” he said. “Thank God some people had visions.”State Rep. Brian Ellis, R-11th, of Butler said the day was a dream come true.“This happened because of dreamers we have here in Butler,” he said.Ellis said he wants to see the hotel revitalize the city like he remembers it as a child.“This is the start of what Butler can be again,” he said.State Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, of Oil City said the hotel will help Butler restore its better days.He said the city was lucky to have people who would fight for the project.“We're lucky to have people like Art Cordwell who can carry the ball across the line,” he said.The hotel will have four stories and about 80 rooms, according to Paul Dunn, the director of JS Capitol Construction, which is developing the project.It has an estimated price of roughly $8 million.A preliminary first floor plan of the hotel also includes a swimming pool and an exercise room.Final plans of the hotel cannot be completed until surveying of the site is done. That is expected to take close to another month.Construction on the hotel is expected to begin in January.Work on the new Rite Aid could begin in late November, while the future of the parking garage is still dependent on the city financing the structure.