Category: 8 Best Building Project GC (Under $10M) Contractor: W.E. O Neil Construction Project Name: 1000 Grant The Burnsley Standing tall above Grant Street, in the coveted Capitol Hill neighborhood of Denver sits 1000 Grant, more commonly known by locals as the Historic Burnsley Hotel. Initially built in 1963 as an apartment building, it was almost immediately repurposed as a boutique hotel inspired by the 1960s Jazz era. In its heyday The Burnsley was associated with impressive personalities like Ella Fitzgerald and Kirk Douglas. In 2012 Red Peak Properties purchased the property and sought to breathe new life into the hotel; deciding to restore the building to its original intended use and answer the city-wide demand for rental housing. All 17 floors of the 70+ year old building required some kind of updating, both aesthetically and to bring it up to code with systems updates ranging from heat pumps, to sprinkler systems and other significant life safety improvements. Strong communication and teamwork from all stakeholders, exceptional problem solving and the team s commitment to an exceptional finished product were the keys to success for 1000 Grant. The collaboration of the design and construction teams to deliver a desirable, modern community in a highly sought after neighborhood at a reasonable price point made this project a home run. In addition to serving the needs of the residents, 1000 Grant serves the needs of the community by delivering a large number of relatively affordable units to the Capitol Hill Neighborhood which is still experiencing extremely low vacancy rates. The exterior transformation of the Burnsley Hotel into 1000 Grant included new metal flashing between floors, vibrant white and orange paint on the columns and the addition of the address signage. The second floor of the building also saw new windows installed, offering more natural light in the lobby area. Major building design changes were made in the first two floors. The original hotel featured a restaurant, bar and front desk check in area where the leasing center and amenity spaces of the community are now concentrated. Bright colors and sleek glass greet potential renters in the lobby. The original concierge and check in area was converted into a leasing office
and a staircase to second floor amenities was added, giving more functional use to this bright and open space. A new fitness center now occupies the area that once served as a bar and restaurant. The new space features state of the art fitness equipment, a full size yoga studio and floor to ceiling windows offering residents beautiful views and plenty of natural light while they exercise. Moving upstairs to the next level of amenities residents will find a cyber café with free wireless internet adjacent to the laundry area ensuring residents don t need to sacrifice entertainment for productivity. The new community also features a 24 hour business center for residents who may work from home. In the clubroom the walls were pushed out and replaced with glass, flooding the area with more natural light and adding substantial usable space. Located on the second floor, the clubroom features a high end kitchen, numerous flat screen televisions and games such as shuffleboard and billiards. The space opens to the outdoor swimming pool and patio area, making it the perfect place to entertain in Denver s 300 days of sunshine. Thanks to the original all suite design of the Burnsley Hotel, the floor plans of the apartments were able to remain unchanged. To liven up the existing units, updates were made including plush carpet and contemporary vinyl plank flooring, fresh paint and new fixtures in the bathrooms and kitchens. To appeal to the target market of young urban renters, kitchens were brought up to date with contemporary design choices. High quality stainless steel appliances and fixtures, as well as new cabinetry, flooring and an artful backsplash brings the small kitchens out of the 1960s and into today. The two level two bedroom penthouse units were overhauled with high end finishes and new steel staircases. Through creative problem solving and high quality construction The Burnsley was transformed to the much needed residences at 1000 Grant. The teamwork and coordination that is required of a project of this scope cannot be overstated, it is truly the only way to ensure prompt and effective problem solving and final customer satisfaction. As is the nature with renovation, especially of large buildings with a long history, this project presented the team with its fair share of surprises and challenges. Though some curve balls are to be expected on any project, The Burnsley had more up its sleeve than even the most conservative of surveyors could anticipate. With these challenges,
such as unique wall construction, failing or outdated mechanical systems and a long cold winter to work through, all project stakeholders had to be fully invested in finding the best possible solution through positive and constructive collaboration. One of the best examples of this teamwork and problem solving was the issue of duct work and air flow within the building and specifically in the Penthouse Suites. Because of the age of the building, ceiling heights weren't originally built to accommodate the ventilation and air flow required of modern code. At one point the subcontractor, general contractor and design teams held a meeting that lasted late into the evening to run through all of the possible design/assist options of how to accommodate the MEP and maintain maximum ceiling heights. The team was able to find a way to widen and flatten the ducts and coordinate electrical, plumbing and fire protection to still allow for air flow without needing to lower the ceilings too much. The solution the team found was so successful that in the finished unit, a resident would never know the struggle and compromise that occurred to ensure the most aesthetically pleasing and functional unit possible. While most materials were selected thoughtfully to ensure an attainable rental rate for residents, one innovative material was deemed necessary and utilized in the penthouse suites to allow for new wider staircases to be constructed. In order to remove the existing spiral staircases from the penthouse units and allow for a larger opening in the floor decks the existing stairs had to be cut from the concrete. In these units the new concrete opening was not reinforced with steel beams, instead a state of the art carbon fiber reinforced polymer mesh was utilized to reinforce the existing mildly reinforced concrete and allow for stabilization without increasing the depth of the floor structure. Safety has always been, and will always be, the highest priority for W.E. O'Neil Construction. With this in mind the site at 1000 Grant was no exception. Due to the scope of the job and the number of subcontractors and people present on the site, W.E. O'Neil took their usual safety measures up another step to include an Orientation Program for all workers present on site. In these orientation meetings new subcontractors on site sit down with the project engineer or superintendent and review project specific safety guidelines as well as potential hazards currently in the job site.
A signature of the W.E. O'Neil Construction Safety Plan, in depth safety audits are conducted weekly on site by superintendents. These safety audits are in addition to their daily site walk through to ensure that the highest level of safety for all people on site is maintained. Exterior work on 1000 Grant was conducted by utilizing swing stage on all four sides of the building. All subcontractors who participated in the exterior work were required to not only receive swing stage certification but also fall protection to meet requirements to work on the swing stage. Thanks to the proactive and in depth safety considerations taken there were no safety incidents on site during construction. One of the biggest contributions 1000 Grant offers to the community is the number of contemporary rental units it added to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Thanks to its prime location near restaurants, bars, shopping and entertainment, 1000 Grant has the opportunity to offer residences for entry to mid-level renters with the amenities they want in the location they prefer. Vacancy rates in the Denver Metro Area are sitting at a minuscule 5.1 percent as of Q1 of this year according to the Apartment Association of Metro Denver, which is only up one half of one percent from the year prior, even with the number of new residences introduced in the past year. In a market this tight, introducing 86 new units at a reasonable price point in a desirable neighborhood makes a very large contribution to the community. Because of the unique and successful transformation of The Burnsley hotel into the residences at 1000 Grant and its contribution to the neighborhood, this project has already been recognized by ENR Mountain States with a Best Project Award in the category of Renovation and Restoration.
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