Architecture, Engineering & Planning EVstudio | Denver & Evergreen Architect | Colorado & Central Texas | Blog » Hospitality

Construction Progress of Project in Ft. Riley, Kansas

Jim Houlette — Mon, 23 May 2011 06:53:33 +0000

We received pictures from the field about the progress of a recent project in Fort Riley, Kansas. The hospital at Fort Riley is under going a remodel and addition that claimed the staff break room until the addition is completed. The client decided they needed to construct a temporary building to serve as the staff break room. EVstudio was hired by Brad Henderson of Western LLC to provide structural engineering design of the slab-on-grade foundation.

Clubhouse Addition for Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club

Beth Concha — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:53:33 +0000

We just completed design for an 800 square foot addition to the clubhouse at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club, a semi-private age restricted community in southeast Aurora. The 35,000 square foot clubhouse is used for a variety of events such as weddings, corporate gatherings, and banquets. The catering department has recently outgrown the existing space, and hired EVstudio to design the small expansion.

The proposed addition is adjacent to the existing kitchen and will provide an extra 400 square feet of dry storage, as well as space for 2 new walk-in freezers and a keg cooler. We are using the existing foundation system and attaching a new steel deck with concrete topping for the loading dock, and two new stairs for access down into the service yard.

Construction Cost per Square Foot for Hotels, Motels and Apartments

Dean Dalvit — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 06:01:25 +0000

Hospitality and multifamily design have many common factors and we have worked on many projects in both sectors. This post is specifically focused on the construction Cost per Square Foot for Hotels, Motels and Apartment Buildings across several regions in the United States.

So, how much does it cost to build a hotel, motel or apartment building by square foot? While this will depend heavily on the design of the building, and its location, there is some guidance based on data collected nationally and analyzed by RSMeans, the industry leader in construction cost estimating and analysis. Local economy is a very important factor in construction cost as well as the type of construction you intend to build. Note, that not all types of construction cost the same per square foot, and even more importantly, the cost of construction per square foot varies significantly with location.

Below are three different types of hospitality and multifamily construction and the varying cost per square foot to expect for each in different regions. All graph images are courtesy of RSMeans Construction Cost Data. Data source: Reed Construction Data – RSMeans/Charts: Reed Construction Data – CanaData

Construction Cost per Square Foot of 2-3 Story Motel

As you can see from the range of cost per square foot, location alone can represent as much as 70% of the cost driver for a 2-3 Story Motel. The median for this type of construction is between $170 and $180 per square foot. Not surprisingly, New York tops the charts for most expensive city to build in at over $234 per square foot. Winston-Salem consistently ranks as the most inexpensive city to build in at $134 per square foot for motels.

Construction Cost per Square Foot for 4-7 Story Hotel

Building vertical always provides an economy of scale for larger structures, and that is noted with taller hotel construction. As these costs are spread out over greater square footage, we see a median cost in the mid $160 range with $217 on the high end and $124 on the low end.

Construction Cost per Square Foot 4-7 Story Apartment Building

At the lowest end of the cost spectrum is the 4-7 story apartment building. Similar to the Hotels, taking advantage of the vertical construction, apartment buildings also are not required to have the variety of functions that are necessary in a hotel. While amenities will be very specific to projects, on average, apartment buildings median cost are in the low $160's per square foot with a range of $121 on the low end to $212 on the high end.

It is increasingly important to understand the cost drivers for any commercial project and how building type, construction type and location can all be huge variables that will drive your cost per square foot. These are always a part of the initial programming discussions and the Architect will play a huge role in helping to define the ranges of cost to expect for the project.

The ‘NEW’ ADA Guide book

Bill Foster — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:54:37 +0000

In 2004 the US Access Board developed and proposed a new set of ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines that would be the new standard by which compliance with the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act would be judged. The new guidebook is a big improvement and incorporates many of the improvements found in ANSI A117.1 - 2003 making it much easier to reconcile these two codes that are often both required on the same project. The only catch was that the Justice Department had to approve the guidelines.

Come 2008 the Justice Department was still taking public comment. And then in 2009 with a new administration and a new set of Justice Department leadership a re-review was ordered and according to a source within the Access Board it may be late 2010 before any further action is taken.

While long in the making, this change will have far reaching effects and is definitely one to keep your eye open for in the future. This is especially true if you are planning a building renovation involving public entryways or bathrooms which have literally hundreds of requirements to consider.

My experience in this area ranges from new build work including Multi-family projects to challenging renovations of hotels and professional sports arena projects. We at EV Studio would be happy to help you add the value of accessibility to any project big or small.

Interior Design is Available from EVstudio Architecture

evstudio — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:01:42 +0000

Our Interior Design group provides a full complement of services that marry architecture and interiors so your project is a cohesive, integrated whole. Our love of interiors means that your project looks and functions as well inside as out.

The EVstudio Interior Design group has delivered vivid, innovative solutions for healthcare, corporate, hospitality, residential, retail, and civic clients. We offer services including but not limited to:

Programming: property evaluation, facility surveys, client questionnaires, user group meetings
Conceptual Design: preliminary plans, elevations, sections, material selections, budgets for review
Design Development and Construction Documents: plans, elevations, sections, interior systems, and material specifications that may be used for bid, cost estimating, or construction
Bid and Construction: contractor selection assistance, bid negotiation, shop drawings and submittal review, site visits, and consultant coordination
LEED documentation for interiors
Custom Cabinets and Trim: casework and millwork design and specification
Finishes: specification of floor, ceiling and wall treatments and patterns
Furnishings: selection, specification, and installation coordination of furniture, window treatments, signage, accessories and art

We also offer comprehensive lighting design services for interior and exterior lighting.
Looking for a service that’s not on the list? Contact us. We’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

EVstudio’s Director of Interiors, Lisa Barter, studied interior architecture in Texas, and brings extensive experience in interior design, architecture and lighting design to each project. Hailing from a family of doctors and engineers, she enjoys marrying art and science by giving equal emphasis to the creative and technical aspects of design. With over fifteen years of design experience, she is committed to helping you achieve your design goals while enjoying the process. Lisa is licensed as an architect, certified as an interior designer, is a LEED accredited professional, and also heads up EVstudio’s Lighting Design group.

EVstudio Chosen for Central Texas Civic Center Renovation Project

Gene Dane — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:53:57 +0000

EVstudio is proud to announce that we have recently been named the architectural firm for the City of Copperas Cove's civic center renovation / remodel project. The project includes updating the commercial kitchen to better serve the needs of larger events and converting obsolete office spaces into a conference center. The project also includes upgrades to the existing bathrooms and the addition of some much needed storage space.

Gene Dane, the principal in charge of our Texas office, will work directly with Mr. Ken Wilson, Director of Community Services for Copperas Cove, Texas, to coordinate the needs of the project. Once the design work is completed, EVstudio will manage the competitive, public bid process as is required for municipal projects in the State of Texas.

We are looking forward to sharing the progress of this project with everyone interested in following it and will make regular postings throughout the design, bidding, and construction processes.

Larger Elevator Required for Ambulance Stretcher

Sean O'Hara — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:39:18 +0000

The International Building Code dictates that a building with four or more stories either above or below grade requires a larger elevator. The code requires that the elevator access all floors and accomodate a 24" x 84" stretcher in the open position. This requirement is larger than the minimum elevator dimensions which are dictated by accessibility requirements.

The elevator needs to be identified with the star of life international medical services symbol a minimum of 3" high and placed on both sides of the door frame.

While it isn't explicitly called out, the hallway and entrances to units should also be planned out with the stretcher in mind.

Hyatt Summerfield Suites DIA – Getting Ready for Slab Pour

Jim Houlette — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:01:57 +0000

On Thursday, I stopped by to observe progress as everyone was hard at work preparing for tomorrow's slab pour. So far progress was good, but it might be a long day for these guys. While on site I helped to identify any errors or concerns. I also answered a few questions to help speed along construction.

The wind picked up in the afternoon making it difficult to keep the vapor retarder in place and the dust out of your eyes.

The cables were provided by KLG Corporation. They are great to work with. Check out KLG's blog about everything you need to know about Post Tension concrete.

I heard the slab stayed on schedule and was completed with no problems.

Hyatt Summerfield Suites DIA – Post Tension Ribs Poured and Plumbing Going In

Jim Houlette — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:08:59 +0000

I visited the Hyatt Summerfield Suites at DIA site on August 24, 2009 to see how progress is going and help with some needed modifications. The foundation was looking great thanks to C and L Development. The ribs below the post tension slab were in place while the plumbers were hard at work getting ready for the slab pour on Friday.

Milender White is the general contractor building the new hotel. The team at Milender White has been great to work with.

EVstudio engineered the post tension foundation for this 4 story 95,000sq ft hotel.