Marriott Hotel at Penn Square and
Lancaster County Convention Center

Lancaster, PA

Trevor J. Sullivan
Construction Management
 
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User Note:
While great efforts have been taken to provide accurate and complete information on the pages of CPEP, please be aware that the information contained herewith is considered a work-in-progress for this thesis project. Modifications and changes related to the original building designs and construction methodologies for this senior project are solely the interpretation of Trevor Sullivan. Changes and discrepancies in no way imply that the orginal design contained errors or was flawed. Differing assumptions, code references, requirements, and methodologies have been incorporated into this thesis project; therefore, investigation results may vary from the original design.
Building Statistics - Part 1

General Building Data

Architecture

  • Architecture:

    The full service Marriott hotel and state-of-the-art convention center is designed to enhance the historic and walkable character of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.1  The historic, 109 year old, Watt & Shand department store façade is being kept and incorporated into the entrance and base of the new hotel tower.  The architectural pre-cast concrete panels of the hotel tower are designed to harmonize with the existing terracotta and marble Watt & Shand façade while also providing a high level of quality and beauty for the 19 story tower that will be seen high above the existing façade.

    The hotel consists of;  300 rooms, a 4,785 SF full service bar, a 9,621 SF ballroom which can also double as six meeting rooms highlighted by majestic two-tiered windows from the Watt & Shand façade, and 7,541 SF of amenities which include an exercise room, indoor pool and whirlpool spa.

    The convention center is being constructed with four existing historical structures at three of its corners (see ‘Historical’ section).  The façade of the convention center is mainly comprised of brick, type 1: “Old Tavern Series” to compliment the existing historical brick structures.

    The state-of-the-art convention center consists of a 47,842 SF exhibit hall along with lobby areas, prefunction areas, a large ballroom, three boardrooms, and meeting rooms.
  • Applicable Codes:
    • Building: 2003 International Building Code
    • Mechanical: 2003 International Mechanical Code
    • Plumbing: 2003 International Plumbing Code
    • Electrical: 2003 International Electrical Code
    • Handicap Accessibility: ADA w/ AADAG Design Guidelines
  • Applicable Standards:
    • 2004 Marriott International Design Standards
  • Zoning:
    • Residential/Hotel: R-1
    • Assembly: A-2
  • Historical:

The Hotel and Convention Center project is located in the heart of Downtown Lancaster at the southeast corner of Penn Square.  This is where the former Watt & Shand department store was located.  It was one of Lancaster's most significant examples of commercial architecture, with four imposing stories of buff brick with elaborate terra cotta and marble ornamentation. The oldest section of this Beaux Arts building, fronting on East King Street, dates from 1898 and was designed by C. Emlen Urban.  The Watt & Shand department store was acquired by the Bon-Ton Stores in 1992 and closed as a department store in 1995.2  Due to its historical importance to the Lancaster area, the four story façade is being kept and incorporated into the base and entrance of the new Hotel tower.

Along with incorporating a historical façade, the new Hotel and Convention Center is located in between five existing structures; an office building on King St., and four historical structures, the Montgomery House, the Smith House, the Thaddeus Stevens House and Kleiss Saloon.  The project will integrate these structures (expect the office building) as museums.  The preserved home of the Honorable Thaddeus Stevens and his confidante Lydia Hamilton Smith will be a multi-level 20,000 square foot museum and interpretive/education center.  Among its variety of exhibits the underground portion of the site will feature a recently unearthed historic Underground Railroad feature, a converted water cistern utilized in the mid-nineteenth century to hide runaway slaves escaping to freedom.  The historic site will be visually integrated into the Vine Street entrance and lobby of the convention center.3

Historical and architectural information provided by:
1. www.coopercarry.com
2. www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lancastercity/cwp/view.asp?a=869&q=551148
3. www.lccca.com

  • Building Envelope:

The Hotel has two exterior wall types, the existing Watt & Shand façade that will be restored and architectural pre-cast panels to match the existing façade in color.  The pre-cast panels are hung off the cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete floor slabs and 3 5/8” metal stud are used as backup to hang interior drywall and finishes.  The roof of the Hotel tower is constructed of EPDM single ply membrane on a cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete slab with 4” of rigid and additional tapered insulation.  Aluminum windows complete the hotel tower envelope; Traco 7900 series windows are specified.

The Convention Center is comprised of several different wall types.  The main wall type is a brick face with metal stud back up, with the brick to match that of the connecting existing historical structures.  Additionally, smaller areas of 3” EIFS and  3 5/8” CMU Veneer both with metal stud backups can be found around the building exterior.  The metal stud backup sizes vary from 3 5/8” to 6”.  The main entrance into the Convention Center is an aluminum storefront wall type assembly.  The same aluminum windows are also used on the Convention Center as the Hotel.  Spanning the large open exhibit floor of the convention center are 153’ long bowstring steel trusses with acoustical metal decking on top of them and then 4” of rigid insulation and PVC roofing with integral decorative color material on top with applied battens at 5’ on center.  Lastly, smaller sections of roof of the Convention Center, not over the main exhibit floor, are EPDM single ply membrane on acoustical metal deck with 4” of rigid and additional tapered insulation on top of a composite slab.
   
 
Building Statistics - Part 2
    
 

Primary Engineering Systems

Construction

To construct the concrete structure of the project, metal pans and wood forms are used to form all the structural elements.  For the lower floors of the Hotel and the Convention Center concrete pumps are to be used, while a tower crane will be utilized to place the concrete with buckets for the upper floors of the project.  After the concrete frame is complete, 2 material hoists will be used to transport men and material up the Hotel tower.  Additionally a large service elevator will be utilized in the Convention Center to transport materials.

To allow for the earliest possible opening date, several special construction methods will be employed, such as the construction of three temporary roofs to allowing finishes start earlier, and the pre-cast panels for the façade will be erected on a second shift basis.

The project is being delivered by a CM agency with 17 multiple prime contracts to the Owners.

  • Contract 01 Demolition
  • Contract 02 Façade Stabilization
  • Contract 03 Caissons
  • Contract 04 General Trades
  • Contract 05 Site & Utilities
  • Contract 06 Concrete
  • Contract 07 Precast Concrete
  • Contract 09 Steel
  • Contract 10 Roofing & Sheet Metal
  • Contract 14 Laundry
  • Contract 15 Food Service Equipment
  • Contract 16 Conveying Systems
  • Contract 17 Plumbing
  • Contract 18 Fire Protection
  • Contract 19 HVAC
  • Contract 20 Electrical
  • Contract 21 Telecommunication/AV

    * Contracts 08, 11, 12, and 13 were added to contract 04 under an addendum.

Electrical/Lighting

The electric for the project is provided by 2 main service points, each 4000 AMP 480Y/277 Volts, 3PH., 4W.  The lighting system uses mainly 277V fluorescent lamps for the public areas and 120V fluorescent lamps for the hotel rooms.  The electrical system steps down to 208Y/120 on each of the floors in the building for the receptacles.  The back up system for the project is a 2000HP generator with a 2000 gallon diesel storage tank and a 75 gallon day tank.

Mechanical/Plumbing

The mechanical system starts with 8 Boilers in a row in the main mechanical room (1658MBH/each) that are natural gas fired.  Opposite of the boilers are the 2 (750 Ton) water cooled chillers coupled with 2 cooling towers that handle 2250GPM and produce 11,250 MBH of heat rejection.  The hot and cold water is used in hydronic AHU’s to provide heating and cooling to the public spaces of the hotel.  Each hotel room is equipped with an energy recover unit, while the corridors are cooled with 100% outdoor air from roof top units.  The Convention Center utilizes three D/X roof top units w/eru wheel each providing 1461 MBH total cooling and 1700 MBH of total heating to the main exhibit halls. Additionally, the hot water for the building is provided by 8 large gas-fired water heaters and storage tanks.  The water heaters range in size from 500,000-1,700,000 BTU. The drain waste vent system for the project is a combination of PVC and cast iron.  The cast iron is used around sound critical areas, such as meeting rooms.

Structural

The structural system starts with the foundation; the project utilizes 200 caissons varying in size up to 90” in diameter to handle the load of the structure.  The superstructure is mainly cast-in-place concrete.  The concrete columns in the hotel are spaced at 27’ (N-S) along the length of the tower and the spacing varies along the width from 8’ – 17’.  The floor slabs are 12-14” thick and are post-tensioned concrete.  At the base of the tower, 7’ thick transfer girders are used to span the hotel lobby.  The Convention Center utilizes the same cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete structure till it reaches the exhibit floors.  Once to the exhibit floor the Convention Center uses steel to enable its large spans.  The roof is held up by 153’ long, bow string metal trusses that span the large Convention Center exhibit floors.

 

Additional Engineering and Engineering Support Systems

Fire Protection

The fire protection system is broken in two zones, a lower zone and an upper zone.  The system utilizes a dry pipe sprinkler riser with a wet pipe sprinkler system. Two fire pumps (750 and 1250 GPM) are used to provide the required pressure for each of the two zones.

Transportation

To transport materials, goods and people the project utilizes both elevators and escalators.  There are six hydraulic elevators, four of which are 3500 lbs, one is 4500 lbs and one is a 12,000lb freight elevator near the loading docks at the rear of the convention center.  Four electric traction elevators are also used, three service elevators at 3500lb, and a passenger elevator at 4500lb.  Lastly there are three escalators to transport people in the podium of the hotel tower.

Telecommunications

The project includes state of the art telecommunication systems, such as projection screens, projectors, surround sound speakers in the meeting rooms and ballrooms along with, loudspeakers, monitoring systems, cable TV, and more throughout the building.

Data/Voice Infrastructure

The project includes an infrastructure system of voice, data, P.O.S., security and MATV (Master Antenna Television) systems.

Pool Air Conditioning Unit

The Marriott hotel features a pool and spa on the 5th floor, the health club level.  The pool requires mechanical considerations to maintain comfort in the room.  To accommodate the loads from the pool a - water cooled air handling unit is used.  The unit provides 203.6MBH total cooling, 165MBH hot water heating, removes 68lb. of water from the air per hour, and also provides 900 CFM of outdoor air.

Smoke Evacuation System

Marriott International will not hang its sign from any building until it passes a rigorous smoke evacuation test.  To meet the stringent Marriott standard 100’s of fans and 32 motorized louvers were used in combination with the sheet metal ductwork to remove smoke from the building.

Water Softeners

To provide suitable water for each of the uses of the building the hard water of Lancaster, PA needs to be softened with salt from 7 large water softeners.  Each water softener has 150 GPM of continuous flow and an average exchange capacity to lbs of salt of 500,000/210.

Kitchen/Laundry

The Marriott hotel also includes on-site laundry facilities.  The laundry room consist of five large commercial washers in total (three 165lb, one 95lb and one 55lb).  There are four dryers in all, three 190lb and one 120lb.  The hotel also includes a full size commercial kitchen for the restaurant and to host banquets.

 

    
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This Page was last updated on September 19, 2007 , by Trevor J. Sullivan and is hosted by the AE Department ©2007.