Shawmut Design and Construction completes construction of Strip House and KOI in Planet Hollywood-Las Vegas
Boston, MA – May 19, 2008 – Shawmut Design and Construction (www.shawmut.com), a leading national construction management firm, recently completed both The Glazier Group’s Strip House as well as KOI Group’s newest KOI restaurant both in premiere locations inside the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. These stunning restaurants and celebrity hot-spots add to Shawmut’s growing list of notable Las Vegas projects.
Shawmut began renovations to the 8,000 square foot Strip House in May of 2007. The Glazier Group worked intimately with designers from Rockwell Group to ensure that the design of the space was complete in time for the project’s commencement, allowing the team to complete the project as scheduled just after Labor Day. The 1930s-themed restaurant features a bar, lounge, and three dining areas. The theme of the space is completed with illuminated graphic boxes of 1920s and 1930s images of nudes. One of the dining areas is located in a private wine room which houses nearly 14,000 bottles of wine in custom temperature-controlled racks lining the perimeter. In the public dining rooms, custom vintage foil wallpaper with felt overlay line the walls, while custom mahogany panels with fabric inlays cover the ceiling above.
KOI, located next door to Strip House, was a six month, 12,000 square foot renovation launched in June of 2007. KOI Group’s in-house design team chose primarily custom-designed pieces for the restaurant. Floors are a custom glass amber terrazzo, while silver-leafed wallpaper covers much of the space. With floor to ceiling windows, diners in the restaurant’s Fountain Dining Room have spectacular views of the Bellagio Fountains and the Strip. Diners enter through custom-designed, hand-carved 12-foot doors, above which sit three, 1,000 lb Buddhas representing “see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.” Flanking the entryway are two bronze temple bells, weighing 750 lbs each. Inside the lounge area, 18 hand-carved prayer wheels enhance the entry experience. The project team utilized heavy-capacity carts and chain falls to bring in and place these specialty items meant to enhance the space’s Asian theme.
Due to working within a highly trafficked casino undergoing renovations, safety, access, and careful planning were crucial to the success of these projects. Compressed construction schedules were executed to coincide with the grand opening of the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. Installation of the under-slab of the kitchen floor required that the teams create a catwalk in the 15 feet of space between the casino ceiling below, and Strip House and KOI floors above. Work was completed while the casino remained occupied, without impacting the patrons below. With both Strip House and KOI construction occurring on the mezzanine level and Planet Hollywood wrapping up a two-and-a-half year general renovation, the teams also had to share access to the building’s loading docks and freight elevators with other construction teams, requiring flexibility and careful scheduling of the delivery and removal of materials.
Other notable Shawmut restaurant projects completed in Las Vegas include Morton’s The Steakhouse, Yard House, Kona Grill, Woo, P.F. Chang’s, and California Pizza Kitchen.
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.
