Multifamily - Hotels
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center
Montgomery, Alabama
The Retirement Systems of Alabama and the City of Montgomery selected Doster Construction Company to manage their hotel and convention center project in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. Doster, along with its joint venture partner, A. G. Gaston Construction Company, provided both pre-construction and construction services under its construction management contract. The project came in at $170 million for construction but to over $200 million when completed with factoring in design, furniture, and miscellaneous.
Demolition for the expansion of the existing Civic Center Exhibit Hall began in January 2005. Grand opening of the Hotel, Convention Center, Spa and Parking Deck occurred February 4, 2008. The grand opening of the Performing Arts Theater occurred March 7, 2008.
The facility included a 395,000 square foot, 4-star hotel that boasts a 14,000 square foot ballroom and 347 rooms, including luxurious presidential and governor's suites overlooking the Alabama River.
Some of the hotel's prominent features are inspired by New York’s Plaza Hotel.
Construction Specifics
- During the construction of the project, Doster bid and awarded 45 construction contracts. The work consumed over 900,000 man-hours of labor performed by 1,875 workers. Major components included placement of 30,000 cubic yards of concrete, erection of 1,000 tons of steel and installation of 2.3 million square feet of gypsum wall board.
- Buildings are supported by auger cast pile and drill pier foundations. The hotel tower has a cast in place post-tensioned concrete frame while the ballroom/restaurant/kitchen area, plus the theater and convention center exhibit hall expansion are structural steel and concrete slab on metal deck construction.
- The exterior façade is a combination of architectural precast concrete, composite metal panels, manufactured stone, granite, EIFS and glazed curtain wall.
- Inside the hotel is an upscale restaurant with seating for 140 guests, outdoor Terrace dining space which seats 50-60 guests, and a bar with outdoor pavilion.
- A two-story concourse connects the Convention Center and the 1800 seat Performing Arts Theater to the hotel, spa and 615-car parking deck.
- The convention center contains over 70,000 square feet of exhibit space and eight meeting rooms totaling 7,000 square feet.
- The parking deck's top level includes an 8,000 square foot European-style spa where guests can receive a variety of treatments including "caviar facials" or exercise in the fitness center. The signature pool with zero entry and an outside whirlpool overlook the downtown Montgomery skyline. In addition, there are a salon, a small cafe and a walking track around the perimeter of the deck.
- The initial design for the pool called for constructing a concrete and gunite pool shell on the top level of the Parking Deck. Because of concern that the flexing phenomenon (deflection) inherent in prestressed concrete structures would cause cracking of the shell that could result in water leaks, the team opted for a pool shell constructed of medium guage stainless steel sheets. Delivered in three prefabricated sections, the pool was welded together at the project site. The stainless steel pool not only accommodates the flexing characteristics of the pre-cast parking structure, but also saved the owner $330,000 compared to the concrete and gunite option.
- All work occurred in a tightly constrained downtown area, abutted on all sides by busy streets during the day. These circumstances required much coordination on Doster's part.
This project was the recipient of South Central Construction magazine's Best Multi-residential project award in 2008.
