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courtesy THE CHAMBERLAIN COMPANIES Calgary Airport Hotels and Conference Centre by Peter Caulfield ike Calgary, the Calgary Airport Hotels and Conference Centre is a large and ongoing project. When completed, the $120-million complex will contain three branded Hilton Worldwide hotels, with a total of approximately 500 hotel rooms and a variety of guest amenities, as well as a 30,000-square-foot conference centre. The project, which is in the construction stage, is located directly north of the Calgary International Airport. Curtis Potyondi, a principal of Prestige Hospitality HA Corporation, the owner and developer of the project, says it will not only change the skyline of the Calgary airport area, but also define the face of future development in the area. The project is adjacent to a $2.4-billion expansion of the Calgary International Airport. When completed, the expansion will double the amount of terminal space at the airport. The Calgary Airport Hotels and Conference Centre is located just north of the main intersection for traffic entering and leaving the airport, and one block from the entrance to the facility. "[The location] gives us a considerable advantage in a business in which location and visibility are crucial for success," says Potyondi. The three hotels in the project are all part of the Hilton Worldwide chain: Hampton Inn by Hilton, for short-stay guests; Homewood Suites by Hilton, for extended stays; and Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Hilton's full-service brand. All of the hotels are 10-storeys high. Conway Patron, project manager in the Calgary office of AMAN Building Corporation, says there are three construction phases to the four-building project. Phase One – Hampton Inn – is expected to be completed in October 2013. Phase Two – Homewood Suites – is slated for completion in December 2013. "Phase Three, the full-service Hilton hotel and conference centre, is still in the design stage," says Patron. The project, as currently planned, will be in the shape of a semi-circle, with Homewood Suites, a shared amenities centre, Hampton Inn, the conference centre and the Hilton hotel. The total area of the site on which all of this is being built is 8.7 acres. Adrian Mauro, president of Chamberlain Architectural Services Ltd., says the layout of the buildings is unique. "The buildings are designed to face the airport, instead of the L Calgary Airport Hotels and Conference Centre p90-95Calgary Airport.indd 91 street, which is more usual for a hotel," he says. "The development will look like a little village." Mauro says the site is oriented in such a way that a large stormwater management pond in front of the development augments the beauty of the project. "Generous landscaped areas, which abut the retention pond and provide year-round visual interest, will lie between the south sidewalk and the south property line," says Mauro. "There will be a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs. A double row of large trees will ensure a significant band of vegetation. "To break up the expanse of asphalt, there will be no more than 20 parking stalls without a green break. The traffic circle in front of the development will have a decorative wall and planting feature," adds Mauro. The development is unique in that it combines three different hotel brands on one site. "The trend in the hotel industry is to amalgamate several brands of the same chain on one site," says Mauro. "That allows them to share common elements, such as administration, and save on such things as management systems and construction costs. At the same time, each hotel brand wants to keep its individual identity for its guests." Each of the hotels will be built to Hilton Worldwide's high standards and with LEED standards in mind. Homewood Suites will feature kitchens with full-size appliances, one or two bedrooms, a living room with a desk and a sofa. Hampton Inn will have king-size or double queen-size beds. Between the two hotels will be a two-storey amenities centre that can be used by guests of both hotels, with a swimming pool, fitness centre and laundry area. The Hilton Hotel is still in the design stage, but will feature five-star amenities that will meet the expectations of the elite traveller. The conference centre will have two levels, with two ballrooms that can accommodate 1,000 people each. All segments of the project will be connected by an all-weather walkway. The project has not been without its challenges. "Since this site is adjacent to the Calgary airport, we had to get approvals from many regulatory bodies in order to obtain permits," says Mauro. Mauro adds that the project also faced some delays. "The project began in 2007 and then we had to re-evaluate building systems and design to meet the constraints brought about by the 2008 economic downturn," he says. "During that time, new Hilton brand standards came into effect and had to be incorporated into already completed contract documents. Hotel brands are constantly evolving designs to keep them fresh and current, and this project was no different." AMAN's Patron says the weather has also been a challenge. "There was a very wet spring in Calgary this year and that delayed some of our work," he says. "AMAN worked successfully with the City of Calgary and the Airport Authorities to overcome various challenges that arose from a site so close to the airport." n Location 2021 100 Avenue North East, Calgary, Alberta Owner/Developer Prestige Hospitality HA Corporation Architect Chamberlain Architects Services Limited General Contractor AMAN Building Corporation Structural Consultant Yolles Partnership Inc. Mechanical/Electrical Consultant Jain and Associates Ltd. Total Area 79,176 square feet plus pool area of 4,392 square feet shared with Homewood Suites Total Cost Undisclosed october 2013    /91 13-09-13 4:24 PM

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