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A PR IL 2018 | 63 Courtyard Marriott Hotel RENDERING COURTESY TURNER FLEISCHER ARCHITECTS INC. Courtyard Marriott Hotel by ROBIN BRUNET L aunched in 2011, the multi-mil- lion-dollar revitalization of Prince George's downtown core was intended to provide developers with incentives to invest in the area – and if a stately-looking six-storey edifice rising above all the other surround- ing buildings is any indication, then the revitalization is paying off in spades. The new 174-room Courtyard Marriott not only acts as a visual cap to Prince George's new downtown, it is the city's first four-star hotel and the first Courtyard built in B.C. "Our brand is very selective of where we locate, and the fact this is the first one in the prov- ince speaks well of Prince George's potential to draw the business sector," says Bryce Beatty, director of operations for ONE Lodging Management, which owners PEG Development retained to oversee the new facility's operations. Beatty adds, "Visually, the new hotel is the tallest building in the city, and Turner Fleischer Architects Inc. took great pains not only to make it attractive but also subtly reference the character and heritage of the region." For builders UPA Construction Group, the project had a distinct advan- tage in that "the site already contained the foundations of a long dormant hotel project," according to project manager Justin Gibb. Development of the site goes back seven years, when a 12-storey, full-ser- vice hotel of 150 rooms plus 35 luxury condominiums was to be built for $40 million and completed by late 2013. By October of that year the site changed hands and a new project was intended to see a $35-million, four-star hotel with 170 guest rooms rise six-storeys high under the Delta brand. By early 2014, contractors had instal- led a foundation with an underground parkade, a ground level slab, and ele- ments of a concrete and steel first floor – at which point the development agreement fell through. The follow- ing year, Maryland-based Marriott International signed an agreement to buy the chain's Canadian properties, and following a regulatory review it was decided that a Courtyard should occupy the would-be Delta site. "The architects were engaged, and we planned for groundbreaking in the spring of 2016," says Beatty. Many of the architectural ele- ments of this sixth generation style of Courtyard can be traced back to Holst Architecture of Portland, for which Marriott Global Project Development hired to create the concept. The rede- sign, which would set the direction of all future Courtyard developments, included a central boardwalk acting as the main organizing element for circu- lation; The Bistro, a leading fast-casual restaurant; and a minimizing of the boundaries between interior spaces and the central courtyard. The lobby was designed to be open and flexible, with special seating areas like media pods, communal tables, and outdoor patios that support col- laboration, productivity, and social interaction. The soundproof guest rooms ranging from 340 to almost 500 square feet would feature refresh- ing colours and thoughtfully designed spaces to store luggage, movable work- space, integrated walk-in showers, and outlets where most needed. As prime consultant, Turner Fleischer designed the Prince George Courtyard Marriott to be a unique timber project, with floors two to six being a fir wood-framed structure. "The use of wood played a huge role not only for structural components but for finishing, the architects researched the history of Prince George and recognized our forest industry as our single most important economic and cultural driver," says Beatty. Turner Fleischer's use of wood in the interior is extensive but subtle, such as the wood ceiling that extends throughout the lobby to the eleva- tors, and a sculpted wood installation behind the front desk. Kari Bennett, principal/inte- rior designer for Utah-based Edge ID (which designs spaces for flags like Choice, IHG, Marriott, and Hilton), notes that the earlier creation of the foundation meant that the Courtyard template was modified to a signifi- cant degree. "We were responsible for all the design and finishes of the lobby area, which had different dimensions than the prototype, and a 4,500-square-foot ballroom was unique to the prototype as well – so we designed custom carpets and modified finishes, plus we provided many floor tile options to accommodate these spaces," she says. Bennett adds, "We essentially designed everything the way we wanted to, sent it to the clients for approval, then sent it to the brand for tweaking and refining. Fortunately, Marriott was very responsive and easy to work with, as was Claudio Rabaglino, senior associate at Turner Fleischer." Gibb describes the construction process as beneficial in that "when we broke ground we already had a dry surface upon which to build. There were some challenges with structural components, and leading up to con- struction the hotel had been designed as a fifth generation Marriott – it didn't become a sixth generation until just before we started." What this amounted to was Gibb and his subtrades working with new specs, external facades, and some inte- rior finishes. Exclusive to this Marriott location was Acrytec ULC-certified, non-combustible, fine aggregate GFRC panels that were installed in a verti- cally staggered manner to add an extra element of texture and depth to the exterior. "Lots of fifth generation ele- ments we were able to retain, such as the main floor lighting, helped keep the budget under control," says Gibb. With a grand opening set for May, Beatty is expecting a long and prosper- ous future for the new hotel. "It's meant to attract the business traveller, but we suspect it will be a big hit with the leisure traveller as well," he says. "Thanks to the hard work of the designers and builders, we have a beautiful addition to down- town Prince George – as well as a great addition to the Marriott portfolio." A LOCATION 900 Brunswick Street, Prince George, B.C. OWNER/DEVELOPER PEG Development ARCHITECT Turner Fleischer Architects Inc. GENERAL CONTRACTOR UPA Construction Group STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Siefken Engineering Ltd. MECHANICAL ENGINEER HPF Engineering Ltd. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER TWS Engineering Ltd. CIVIL ENGINEER R. Radloff & Associates Inc. INTERIOR DESIGN CONSULTANT EDGE ID TOTAL SIZE 120,000 square feet TOTAL COST $40 million 1:34 PM 7:27 AM 9:50 AM 2:51 PM

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