The Glenn Hotel is a historic restoration of a ten-story, 1927 office building into the first boutique hotel in Downtown Atlanta. The 64,000 square foot hotel contains 93 guest rooms, 16 suites, and a penthouse suite. The renovation included construction of an al fresco rooftop terrace bar with a great view overlooking downtown. As part of the project, Holder built out the street level with a third location of BED Atlanta, which closed in January 2007.
The project was characterized by high-end finishes and unique details. Georgia marble, local heart pine floors and traditional southern inspired furnishings with a contemporary twist are found throughout the public areas rooms. The décor guest rooms complement the public spaces through the use of plush and uniquely designed rugs, warm soothing colors and sophisticated shapes and textures. The Penthouse Suite includes a large dining area, wet bar and a one-of-a-kind bathroom which is fully encased in glass with double vanities and a soaking tub for two.
After six months of preconstruction in preparation for the project, Holder began construction in late February of 2005. The challenges of renovating a historical structure involved detailed survey and exploration, careful coordination, and in-depth planning. Major structural modifications were necessary to convert the building use to a hotel. The entire structure was reinforced to support the rooftop terrace bar, installation of a service elevator and a code compliant stair, and partitioning of the guestrooms. All new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems required extensive coordination to fit within the tight floor-to-floor conditions.
The exterior restoration was regulated by strict National Park Service guidelines for historic renovations. The entire façade of smooth limestone facing and terra cotta detailing highlighted by an intricate roof cornice appointed with sculpted lion heads was cleaned. All windows were replaced and replicated to match the original design. Exterior building up lighting, designed by PHA Lighting, accentuates the building’s historic features.
The project schedule was fast-track from the beginning due to an extensive value analysis effort that delayed the design. The project team implemented a design/purchasing coordination effort to manage the design document production. Team efficiency was maximized and the schedule was able to be expedited because the team made sure the right design documents were produced when needed.
The project took just over a year, and reached completion in March of 2006. The Glenn Hotel was named as an Honorable Mention as part of the 2007 Build Georgia Awards. The project also garnered a Best in Atlanta Real Estate Award in the Rehab/Renovation Category. In April of 2008, the Glenn Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.