SAN ANTONIO—Cleveland Construction, Inc. and Lend Lease, the exclusive owner, developer and asset manager for the Army’s entire lodging portfolio, celebrated the grand opening of a new Candlewood Suites hotel located at Fort Sam Houston here. IHG is the hotel operator.
The 153,685 sq.-ft., 310-unit hotel is considered the largest Candlewood Suites-branded hotel in the world, according to the company.
The hotel is a part of the Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program, a U.S. Army-led program established as a means to revitalize on-post lodging facilities for soldiers, their families and all government travelers. The hotel officially opened to soldiers and their families with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 23.
The new hotel is a five-story structure with 310 studio and one-bedroom suites. Each room is fully equipped with a kitchen, oversized work area and full bathroom. The hotel amenities include a swimming pool with patio pavilion, business and fitness centers, guest laundry facilities, a breakfast bar and on-post shuttle services.
The structure of the building is comprised of pre-fabricated cold formed structural metal stud panels, gypsum cement floor slabs on floors two through five, structurally suspended first floor concrete slab installed over eight in. carton forms, grade beam foundations and 30-ft. drilled bell piers.
The interior building systems include electrical, mechanical, plumbing, elevators, fire suppression and fire alarm systems. Site improvements include asphalt parking lots, specialty concrete paving, sidewalks, swimming pool, site lighting and trash enclosures.
The hotel structure meets military base structural requirements for progressive collapse and blast impact standards, according to the company. The exterior building envelope consists of gypsum board sheathing, fluid applied vapor barrier, EIFS, TPO roofing system and blast-resistant windows and storefront systems.
Cleveland Construction also implemented a recycling program that resulted in 94% of the construction waste being recycled.
Five safety audits were conducted over the life of the project resulting in consecutive perfect 100% scores from Lend Lease’s insurance provider.