New Orleans Marriott Lobby and Ballroom Renovations

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after…

The New Orleans Marriott Lobby had begun to look dated with its heavy ironwork and open, rectangular spaces on numerous split levels. So in 2007 Host Hotels & Resorts, owner of the N.O. Marriott, hired The McDonnel Group to perform a complete makeover of the Marriott Lobby. McDonnel had been Host’s contractor of choice on previous projects including the replacement of sliding glass doors and windows, health spa improvements, and the hotel’s storm restorations.

Despite the mellow attitude of The Big Easy, there was nothing relaxed about this renovation. The project involved gutting and rebuilding the entire lobby, from marble and porcelain floors, to soaring radius ceilings. It also involved building a new restaurant, bar, coffee shop and retail stores, all done with high-end and largely custom-built materials. And the entire project had to be done in the hotel’s brief off-season — a period of 4 1/2 months. The McDonnel Group had crews working seven days a week, twelve to fourteen hours a day and at any given time had 150 construction professionals working within a 26,000 square foot space.

The new lobby includes coffers with large chandeliers, including three of red glass. The floors are marble and porcelain in a falling block pattern on 5′ x 5′ squares. The old 30-foot-long concierge and bell desk was replaced with seven radius pods, made of mahogany with granite countertops. Each pod was individually handcrafted. Overhead are dozens of radius ceilings in different sizes. The lobby renovations also included the creation of a new lobby bar and a new restaurant named 5-Fifty-5 (named after the hotel’s location of 555 Canal Street). The new establishments are stylish and visually stunning. The restaurant includes a feature wall of zebra wood and laminate with colored glass.

The McDonnel Group was also responsible for completely updating the hotel’s main ballroom, the largest ballroom in New Orleans, and renovating all eleven elevator interiors. During that short construction period of four months over $1 million in custom millwork was detailed, fabricated, and installed. The McDonnel Group worked with the Marriott and relocated the entire hotel lobby and registration areas to upper floors while ensuring minimal inconvenience to guests. The property remained at high occupancy throughout construction, avoiding any loss of business to the hotel. The renovations were completed on schedule, within budget, and with the highest standards of quality construction. Positive feedback form guests and hotel employees has been overwhelming and the newly renovated lobby and ballroom will certainly have a significant impact on Marriott’s business for many years to come.