Noted by Forbes magazine as one of the “world’s hottest new hotels” of 2018, Savannah’s Perry Lane—featuring high-end accommodations and picturesque views from its rooftop bar—offers visitors a sense of Southern ease. But building the 170,000-sq-ft, 167-room boutique hotel in Savannah’s historic district was no easy task. The structure—comprised of two five-story buildings—was located within a tight, zero-lot-line site. With limited laydown space, thoughtful sequencing of construction was essential for synchronizing deliveries of materials and equipment.

The project presented contractors with a multifaceted challenge literally from the ground up. With the hotel’s cellar located well into the water table, contractors utilized a special admixture in the concrete retaining wall to mitigate leaks. Because the hotel owner/developer continually fine-tuned the design in order to maximize space utilization in extraordinary ways, BIM proved valuable in coordinating alignment of MEP systems within the interior’s tall, symmetrical ceilings. It was also helpful for creating high-end custom finishes and millwork details.

In addition, many of the finishes required significant lead times. For example, a hanging fixture with radius glass adorning the hotel’s Wayward bar had to be shipped from overseas and required a 20-week lead time.

On the roof, the team utilized structural geofoam to raise the pool deck in order to increase the depth of the water. Along with ensuring the new roof system’s structural integrity, however, the construction team contended with the unpredictable whims of Savannah’s rainy season. A total of 30 rain days complicated the work schedule during July and August. And just as roof installation neared completion in September, along came Hurricane Irma with tropical storm-force wind and rain.

Although the DPR-led team applied technology, innovation and perseverance to see this project through to a successful completion, the personal touch played a key role as well. Good relationships with neighboring businesses as well as the city of Savannah helped minimize the effects of unavoidable short- and long-term inconveniences created by the construction process. DPR used a similar approach to safety, maintaining open lines of communication across the team and encouraging field staff to report unsafe behavior to the project superintendent. Only two minor first-aid incidents and two recordable incidents were logged during the project’s 365,580 work-hours.