Before and after images of the grand ballroom show the extent of the damage and the craftmanship that went into re-creating the hotel. |
“From eyesore to icon.”
That's how Reconstruction Awards judge K. Nam Shiu so concisely described the restoration effort that turned the decimated Book Cadillac Hotel into a modern hotel and condo development.
The tallest hotel in the world when it opened in 1924, the 32-story Renaissance Revival structure was revered as a jewel in the then-bustling Motor City. In its heyday, the Book Cadillac hosted five different presidents, show-business celebrities, and sports legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
But just 60 years after its grand opening, owners of the hotel were forced to close its doors as Detroit's once-booming economy sank into deep decline. The structure would sit vacant for another 22 years, exposed to the harsh weather, vandals, and fires. In some areas the decay even reached the building's skeletal structure. Interior finishes were completely lost, lying in heaps on the floors.
After several failed attempts by private developers to revive the building, The Ferchill Group, a Cleveland-based developer, finally came up with a winning formula: a partnership with Starwood Hotels & Resorts involving 22 public and private revenue sources.
The 27-month effort restored the building into the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel & Condominiums—455 hotel rooms and 67 condo units. The $176 million project included complete demolition and reconstruction of the top four floors; installation of more than 2,000 replicated windows; rebuilding two elaborate ballrooms on the fourth floor; repair of the terra cotta façade; and construction of a three-story addition housing a pool/spa, fitness center, and restaurant. It was essentially a 771,800-sf gut job.
Given the sheer scale of the project and the enormity of the damage, it took the Building Team more than a year just to assess the existing structure and develop schemes for demolition and rebuilding. An unmanned robot was used to safely perform the dangerous demolition tasks, and Bobcats and skid steers were hoisted to upper floors for selective interior demolition.
“The team faced a huge challenge on this project because the building was in such poor shape,” said Reconstruction Awards judge Martha Bell, AIA, LEED AP, principal with Tilton, Kelly+Bell, Chicago. “The project was nicely done.” —Dave Barista, Managing Editor
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 18, 2021
The Weekly show, Feb 18, 2021: What patients want from healthcare facilities, and Post-COVID retail trends
This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders from JLL and Landini Associates about what patients want from healthcare facilities, based on JLL's recent survey of 4,015 patients, and making online sales work for a retail sector recovery.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 5, 2021
Healthcare design in a post-COVID world
COVID-19’s spread exposed cracks in the healthcare sector, but also opportunities in this sector for AEC firms.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Healthcare Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. healthcare facilities sector
HDR, Jacobs, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest healthcare facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Aug 28, 2020
2020 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
The 2020 Giants 400 Report features more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Coronavirus | Jul 1, 2020
Are hospitals prepared for the next pandemic?
Caught off guard by COVID-19, healthcare systems take stock of the capacity and preparedness.
Healthcare Facilities | Mar 9, 2020
Mobile wayfinding platform helps patients, visitors navigate convoluted health campuses
Gozio Health uses a robot to roam hospital campuses to capture data and create detailed maps of the building spaces and campus.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 27, 2020
Milieu: Creating restorative environments in behavioral health
It’s time to take a closer look at the collection of therapeutic settings known as milieu.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 4, 2019
Heart failure clinics are keeping more patients out of emergency rooms
An example of this building trend recently opened at Beaumont Hospital near Ann Arbor, Mich.
Giants 400 | Aug 16, 2019
2019 Healthcare Giants Report: The ‘smart hospital’ is on the horizon
These buildings perform functions like a medical practitioner. This and more healthcare sector trends from Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 15, 2019
Can a kids’ healthcare space teach, entertain, and heal?
Standard building requirements don’t have to be boring. Here’s how you can inject whimsical touches into everyday design features.