Nobu, Sweetwater Saloon, and Moonstone Lounge open in time for hotel’s grand opening in San Diego’s Gaslamp District.
Boston, MA – May 19, 2008 – Shawmut Design and Construction (www.shawmut.com), a leading national construction management firm, recently completed three projects in the new Hard Rock Hotel - San Diego. Japanese sushi bar and celebrity hot-spot Nobu, as well as the Gerber Group’s Sweetwater Saloon and Moonstone Lounge were all built during the construction of the new Hotel. With construction schedules tight, all three projects wrapped in time for the grand opening of the Hard Rock Hotel in December. In collaboration with the Rockwell Group, Shawmut oversaw the construction of the internationally renowned signature Japanese restaurant Nobu on the ground floor of the hotel. The complex space includes two kitchens, which makes up 4,000 square feet of the nearly 9,000 square foot sushi restaurant and bar. Fabric panels line the ceiling, with fish basket light fixtures hanging at different levels. End grain wood flooring from Oregon completes the liquor and sushi bars. Many finishes, such as the vine privacy screens in the dining area, took months to procure and meant that careful planning was needed to keep the project on schedule. Shawmut deftly navigated Nobu’s expectations during the project – with exact design requirements and specification being managed in accordance with aggressive project schedules – and still met Hard Rock Hotel’s grand opening date.
Shawmut also simultaneously constructed two nightclubs in the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego for the Gerber Group, developers of internationally acclaimed hotspots: Moonstone Lounge and Sweetwater Saloon. Each venue embodies the Gerber trademark, fusing cutting-edge interiors, fashionable clientele and signature cocktails to create a setting of unparalleled style and flare.
Collaborating with architects from the Myhre Group and designers from Architropolis, Shawmut completed the 4,000 square foot bar Sweetwater Saloon in just 12 weeks. The bar features reclaimed brick from a warehouse in the city’s historic Gaslamp District, and an opened wood-truss ceiling. Located off the hotel lobby the lounge exudes a casual atmosphere for conversation, catching a game on flat screen TVs, or listening to music. The bar is dramatically accented with black leather, complimented by white crocodile padded bar stools, dark oak millwork, and oversized crystal chandeliers.
The same team also completed the Moonstone Lounge, located on the fourth floor rooftop adjacent to Woodstock, a 900-person concert venue. The 10,000 square foot space is a dramatic rooftop pool bar and lounge overlooking the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. A stylish oasis in the afternoon evolves into a vibrant evening nightspot with private heated poolside cabanas and day beds surrounding the pool. Lounge seating, flat screen TVs, a raised IPÊ deck, and six fire pits complete the lounge. The Gerber Group, Hard Rock Hotel, Architropolis, Myhre Group all contributed to the ongoing decision-making process regarding design components. Despite numerous hurdles, the project was still completed on time for the Hotel opening.
All three projects were subject to design modifications, site restrictions, and coordination with Hard Rock Hotel’s base-building construction manager. The close proximity of the San Diego Convention Center produced various site restrictions that required the teams to work with the base-building construction team to manage access to the Hotel. With the entire Hotel under construction and a grand opening celebration planned and advertised, Shawmut’s commitment to timeframes and their ability to think, innovate, and troubleshoot as unique issues arose, helped keep all three projects moving forward and open on schedule. Shawmut was able to manage the projects in a fluid design environment and expedited lengthy procurement of materials through foresight, flexibility, and experience.
About Shawmut Design and Construction
Shawmut Design and Construction is a 100% employee-owned company headquartered in Boston with offices in New York, Providence, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and New Haven. Shawmut is a leading ENR top 100-ranked national construction management firm providing client-oriented services in the following markets: Academic, Commercial, Corporate Interiors, Cultural and Historic Preservation, Healthcare and Science, Gaming, Restaurants, Retail, Spas and Health Clubs. For more information, visit Shawmut’s website at www.shawmut.com.
