Ground was broken at the Chagrin Highlands for a new luxury hotel Monday.

The four-story, 135-room hotel, a property of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC, is expected to open in the third quarter of 2013. 

Developer Scott Berkowitz began discussions to build this hotel in Beachwood 20 months ago and called the moment when he and his partners moved dirt on the site Monday "fantastic."

"I'm very proud of the effort exhibited by my entire team," he said. "Because it really does take an entire team to get this off the ground."

Berkowitz first proposed the hotel at Signature Square, which is adjacent to a residential street. 

Signature Square property owner The Goldberg Company pulled that proposal after outcry from residents that the hotel would be disruptive to their neighborhood, and some alleged that Council was giving the developers and property owners special treatment.