A guitar-shaped hotel – 30+ stories tall! This was a unique and challenging project for many of the contractors involved in its construction. Contexture was responsible for providing window shades on the edges of the highly sloped floors of the “guitar” base.
Contexture was a relative newcomer to the south Florida market when it was asked by both specified window shading companies, Mecho and Lutron, to be a partner on the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel project in Hollywood, Florida. Contexture was considered by both to be the most experienced and capable dealer in the territory that would be able to successfully complete this project. Though there were many benefits to the Lutron shade solution – ultra-quiet motors and elegant integration with the lighting control system in each hotel suite – Mecho’s motorized double ShadeLoc zipper system was deemed the best choice to cover the wide and sloped glazing with both light blocking and sunscreen fabrics.
For Mecho, the challenges for this particular project were daunting. The engineering requirements for covering 180” wide windows (with up to a 42-degree slope) had never previously been encountered by their accomplished engineering team. Contexture worked closely with them to explore different solutions for these challenges.
After the shade vendor and shading solution were determined, other challenges remained. Implementing the ShadeLoc system as a high performing solution in the suites at the hotel edges required patient and continued coordination with the Owner, the Seminole Gaming Commission, and General Contractor, Suffolk Construction.
Luckily, Contexture had one of its top project managers to accomplish this integration. Mike Lowe, a transplant from the company’s NE Headquarters and a long-tenured project manager, took control of the project and worked to ensure that the shade pockets, blocking, and electrical components were constructed to meet the shade installation requirements – not an easy task for this complex project.
Heightening the challenge were construction delays, which compressed the shade installation schedule dramatically. Originally Contexture had an installation schedule of 6-8 months to measure and complete the work. This timeline got shortened to fewer than 3 months due to unforeseen delays with the work of other trades.
Several of Contexture’s more accomplished Massachusetts-based installers flew down south to support the Florida installation crew’s efforts to ensure on-time completion. It came down to the wire, but the Contexture team pulled it off, and the ShadeLoc installation was successfully completed fewer than 48 hours before the grand opening of the hotel!
