“You do not get just an unbroken southern view of the Detroit skyline very often because too often you’re in that skyline,” Di Rita said. 

If the rooftop bar doesn’t open when the hotel does, it will open by the spring, Di Rita said. 

The as-of-yet named bar would grow the list of rooftop venues in the city and suburbs, and add another to the Roxbury Group’s portfolio. The rooftop Monarch Club is at the Roxbury-owned The Element hotel on John R downtown.

It’s going to be managed by San Diego-based Azul Hospitality Group, which also manages Roxbury’s hotels and owned food and beverage options including The Hammer & Nail in The Plaza on Woodward north of Mack; the Buhl Bar on Griswold Street downtown; and the Lone Goat at the Element, located in the former Metropolitan Building. 

Detroit-based Sachse Construction is the general contractor on the AC Hotel while Edmonton-based Stantec, which has a Berkley office, is designing the project and interior design is by Patrick Thompson Design, based in Detroit. 

Although they are separate projects, the AC Hotel is being developed in conjunction with a $7 million to $10 million renovation of the Bonstelle Theatre immediately to the south. 

The Bonstelle, which dates back to 1903 when it was designed by Albert Kahn as Temple Beth El, became a C. Howard Crane-designed theater in 1925 after the synagogue moved north.