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J UNE 2019 | 57 Delta Calgary Downtown PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SILVERBIRCH HOTELS & RESORTS Delta Calgary Downtown by LAURA WALKER A rejuvenated Delta Calgary Downtown hotel is ready to wel- come new and returning guests with an enriched experience. Owner SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts undertook the recent renovation to meet brand standards of Delta Hotels by Marriott and give the building, which was con- structed in 1980, a fresh, modern feel. "The idea was to pull through the brand promise of 'simple made per- fect,'" explains Mark Medland of SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts. "All design elements were focused on effi- ciency, accessibility, and ease of use." Most of the renovation was com- pleted on the building's interior; Tom Brauser of Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Services, Inc. (JLL) explains. "It was a fairly complex project because there wasn't a portion of the hotel that the renewal process didn't touch." The original brown-brick exterior has been kept as returning guests will remember, save for the addition of alu- minum panels and strip-lighting near the main entrance, as well as a fully- repaired driveway. However, the inside of the build- ing offers many new details to explore, starting with the lobby, which has been transformed from two separate levels to just one. "We decided it was too hard to create a design that provided the functionality and ambiance we wanted if we left it as two levels. Over a mil- lion pounds of concrete was removed to transform the lobby into one level," explains Brauser. While the hotel was kept in opera- tion throughout the entirety of the renovation, levelling out the lobby made for an exception. "We shut the hotel down for two weeks during this process as it was far too dusty and disruptive to maintain a good guest experience," says Brauser. The relocated and modernized reception area brings a fresh focus to hotel check-in, elevator access, and the lounge. "We really wanted the space to be tactile and comfortable, so we chose warm wool plaids, plush custom area rugs, and worked with artists and trades to create installations throughout that were artful and fun like a woven wood feature wall and veneer mural," explains Adele Rankin of CHIL Interior Design, the Hospitality Studio of B+H Architects. The front desk area is highlighted with floating cloud lights as a reference to Calgary's changing atmosphere and state of transition, she notes. "The end result was the transforma- tion from what felt like an elongated lobby to a very large, open, and spa- cious area from which the Shoe and Canoe Public House could be located," comments Medland of the hotel's res- taurant and bar. Heading into the Shoe and Canoe Public House, an open kitchen on the left sets the tone for the spacious lounge with welcoming communal tables, seat- ing along the large windows and, in the background, a large private dining room. "We worked closely with the millworker and the designer to plan the design and install of several key art features, includ- ing the wood-framed fabric canoe above the fireplace in the dining room," says James Kennedy of EllisDon Construction. "For the restaurant and bar we focused on a path of discovery inspired by David Thompson and his journey of car- tography in the region," explains Rankin. "We wanted to enhance the sense of con- nection both from person to person, and to the land and local history." The open space in the restaurant enabled the introduction of decorative beams and a full double-height cus- tom mural behind the bar. "We focused on more natural materials that repre- sented an approachable and timeless quality like rope detailing, natural wood beams, copper pipes, and tex- tured fabrics," says Rankin. Renovations of the hotel's guest- rooms carry on with the building's new modern feel, incorporating a natural pallet, clean lines, and abstract tex- tures. "We always wanted to make sure that the design philosophy echoing throughout the hotel would be about giving guests and locals a space to call their own," notes Rankin. The renovation also saw all lifestyle components of the hotel, including fitness facility and the yoga room relo- cated to a single floor with the hotel's pool. Convention space was expanded and brought to one floor with a cen- tralized break and dining service room known as the Peak. "The renovation provided the opportunity to look at the existing mechanical systems and replace them with more modern, efficient equip- ment," explains Medland, noting that the largest change was the switch to more efficient LED lighting options and the replacement of the hotel's boilers to high-efficiency units. Improvements were also made to the original electrical system and fire systems, including new alarms and sprinkler systems installed throughout the hotel. Modernization of the hotel's eight elevators – four guest elevators and four service elevators – was also carried out during the final stages of the renovation. New door lock systems were installed on all the guestrooms throughout the hotel, replacing the traditional card reader lock system with a new RFID door lock system. The new system will enable guests to take advantage of mobile check-in once that system is implemented throughout Marriot's hotels. "We had an understanding of what the Delta Hotel by Marriott should look and feel like but sometimes the existing structure did not lend itself to the proper execution of the vision," explains Medland. "When we were faced with these situations, we chal- lenged the design team to bridge the gap. It meant taking some risks, but the end result was more than worth it," he concludes. A LOCATION 209-4 Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta OWNER/DEVELOPER SilverBirch Hotels & Resorts PROJECT MANAGER Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Services, Inc. (JLL) ARCHITECT B+H Architects GENERAL CONTRACTOR EllisDon Construction Services Inc. MECHANICAL CONSULTANT AME Consulting Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT AES Engineering Ltd. INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT CHIL Interior Design TOTAL SIZE 277,000 square feet TOTAL COST $27 million 3:17 PM 9:30 AM

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