Balfour Beatty Construction

Onward and upward┬áBalfour Beatty ConstructionÔÇÖs combination of experience, excellent relationship building and forward thinking continue to make it a leading player in the hospitality and resort sector, Andrew Pelis learns. Orlando, Florida, has long been a haven for the hotel industry, and despite todayÔÇÖs general economic pressures, competition remains rife, so it is essential for each hotel to have its own unique appeal.With such ideas, the Peabody Hotel drew up ambitious plans for a grand renovation some 10 years ago, and after much deliberation and the current input of Balfour Beatty Construction, those plans are finally coming to fruition.As news broke that the project was finally due to get under way, Tom Ackert, executive director of the nearby Orange County Convention Center exclaimed, ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve been waiting a long time. The number one thing our clients tell us we need is more business-class rooms within walking distance of the convention center.ÔÇØThe hotel first began talking about expanding in 1997. In 2000, officials announced a two-phase expansion, but financing failed to materialize in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which had such a negative impact on many aspects of the US economy.By 2003, hotel officials predicted the expansion would be complete by the end of 2007. However, escalating construction costs brought on particularly by the global demand for concrete and steel further delayed the project.The existing 891-room hotel features 57,000 square feet of flexible function space and three award-winning restaurants. Upon completion, the expansion of the Peabody Orlando will include the addition of a 32-story tower accommodating 750 luxurious guest rooms and suites, 145,000 square feet of flexible function space, an upscale, full-service spa, grotto-style swimming pool, English garden, hiking trail, additional shops, boutiques, restaurant and a parking garage for 2,100 cars. Headquartered in Dallas, Balfour Beatty Construction forms a part of Balfour Beatty US, and the companyÔÇÖs profile on such projects made it a strong candidate to win the contract. ÔÇ£We brought a lot of hospitality experience to the table and had built up strong relationships with the hotel at the time we bid for this project,ÔÇØ affirms Miles Gibbs, who has spent 16 years with the company and is senior project manager on the Peabody Hotel project. The hotel remains functional while construction takes place, which presents its own set of challenges. One of the biggest goals for the project has been to minimize the impact of construction not only on the hotelÔÇÖs famous mallard ducks but also guests and staff. Peabody Hotel Group project manager Kurt Kotzin (from Belz Construction Company, which acts as the liaison between the construction company and hotel owners) says the company and contractor have strived to maintain the hotelÔÇÖs coveted Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond level of service during construction, and so far they have succeeded.Thanks to some well-planned scheduling, innovative approaches to noise control and skillful planning, Balfour Beatty has been able to keep the construction in the background of the Peabody Orlando experience, if not hide it outright. As Gibbs explains, Balfour Beatty Construction already had prior experience with such projects and cites this as one of the reasons it won this contract. ÔÇ£We had successfully worked on an existing hotel in Florida that remained operational while we worked on it, and this almost certainly played a part in helping us win this project in early 2007.ÔÇ£We have to be mindful of the comfort of the people in the hotel while weÔÇÖre working,ÔÇØ Gibbs continues. ÔÇ£The hotel has created a liaison officer who sits in on all our meetings, understands what weÔÇÖre doing, and also communicates to us when the hotel is busy and when itÔÇÖs quiet. That way we can plan when to carry out certain tasks with minimal disruption to guests. At all times, though, our prime objective is to ensure that our deadline of January 20, 2011, is not compromised.ÔÇØ The company equipped pumps with special mufflers and chose a deep foundation system with auger-cast pilings to eliminate the noise from pneumatic hammers. Screens were also put in place to hide as much of the work as possible and to help prepare the hotelÔÇÖs staff for the noise that would be generated by construction. Kotzin adds that Balfour Beatty even operated its modified equipment directly outside a conference room. Bringing Balfour Beatty on board as the general contractor went a long way toward keeping the hotelÔÇÖs operations running smoothly during construction, a view also shared by Eddie Maddox, a representative of the hotelÔÇÖs construction committee, who stated, ÔÇ£I canÔÇÖt stress enough the importance of the relationship from the construction aspect and still operating a multi-award-winning Four-Star, Four-Diamond hotel.ÔÇØ In addition, the construction is taking place on the sides of the hotel where the main exits are typically located, meaning that alternative exits, including a bridge, had to be created. ÔÇ£We have to ensure that if there is a situation in the hotel, people can evacuate safely. We have to be able to build onto the existing building while at the same time ensuring that people can leave safely,ÔÇØ Gibbs explains.Due to the economic downturn, there has been an influx of skilled labor on the job site that is helping the job progress along at a swift pace, as Gibbs explains. ÔÇ£OrlandoÔÇÖs construction boom has quieted down in recent times, and Balfour Beatty has not found it difficult to attract the right kind of specialty skills when necessary.ÔÇØ Balfour BeattyÔÇÖs on-site work began in earnest at the start of 2008. ÔÇ£Activity is really beginning to accelerate,ÔÇØ says Kotzin. ÔÇ£Progress on the project can be seen week by week. Site preparation and foundations were completed in November 2008, and construction has now gone vertical. As the work continues to accelerate, the Peabody OrlandoÔÇÖs manpower count will double to nearly 800 people during the first quarter of 2009.ÔÇØ In December 2008, the Peabody Convention CenterÔÇÖs Grand Ballroom trusses were set. The Peabody TowerÔÇÖs first elevated deck was placed, and work has begun on the model rooms in the hotelÔÇÖs Florida Ballroom. To date, Balfour Beatty remains on target to complete the project on time. ÔÇ£The eighth floor of the 32-story tower has now been completed, while the last truss has been installed in the new 145,000-square-foot convention center,ÔÇØ Gibbs confirms.┬áÔÇ£The next phase of the program is to install windows and the roof on both buildings. To finish on time we need to rotate the floors in each building every six days. We pride ourselves on finishing jobs on time.ÔÇØ  ÔÇô Editorial research by Greg Petzold┬á