The top-to-bottom makeover of the landmarked, 100-plus-year-old Eitel Building included restoration of seven stories of the original structure, addition of an eighth floor with suites and a rooftop bar, and a complete seismic retrofit. Preservation of the brick façade and the original archway over the lobby entrance are juxtaposed with a stunning, five-story Shepard Fairey mural on the west side.
Offered resourceful solutions to maximize guest space within the building’s extremely small footprint. When updated programming required the addition of two stairwells and an elevator, the stair and elevator cores were designed as a shear wall to address a critical seismic stability issue, eliminating the need for intrusive measures.
Demonstrated ingenuity when presented with the reuse of historical construction materials.
- Cast iron columns rise the full height of the building and are a vital component of the structural system. Intumescent paint delivered the ideal fireproofing solution, providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance and an economical alternative that maximized usable space on each floor.
- Also, because these columns could not be welded to the framing system and the condition of each column was different, every floor required one-off detailing. Extraordinary teamwork between the contractor and our structural engineers established a successful replacement system: Demolition, documentation and detailing unique to each floor, then installation of the new floor occurred within a record two-week timeline.
- The team reclaimed space for guest rooms when the light well was removed, using a light steel frame with concrete topping and metal deck. Original timber was retained, contributing to the hotel’s ambiance.
Explored, and then imaginatively accommodated, below grade infrastructure into construction plans. Together our civil and structural teams restored underground areaway structure that suffered from years of water damage, minimizing future maintenance and reestablishing reliable access.
Recognized that this location presented unusual restrictions, even for downtown Seattle, yet successfully collaborated with multiple agencies to redevelop the site.
- Careful construction phasing eliminated service interruptions for the adjacent Hard Rock Café.
- Flexibility was paramount throughout utility construction. The team discovered utilities that didn’t exist on previous construction documents, which required multiple redesign and re-permit cycles.
- The site has no alley access, adding complexity to utility planning and staging for construction. Temporary curb lane use created a safety zone for pedestrians. Erected each morning, it was deconstructed before the afternoon rush hour began.
