Article - The McDonnel Group

DESIGN AND RENOVATION
FROM PAST TO PRESENT
Omni Royal Orleans Hotel
Undergoes Renovations
M
any consider the Omni Royal
Orleans Hotel in New
Orleans as French Quarter
royalty. The four-diamond
hotel and its predecessors — The City
Exchange and the St. Louis Hotel — have
occupied the corner of St. Louis and
Royal Streets since 1838. From Luciano
Pavarotti to Richard Nixon to Muhammad Ali, the Omni Royal — purportedly
the birthplace of the “cocktail” and gumbo
— has served as a haunt for famous entertainers, politicians, and sports figures.
To this day, people still recognize it as
“the place to see and be seen.”
Unfortunately, time takes a toll on everything, even grand old hotels. After realizing several of the Omni Royal’s public
areas had seen better days (the lobby, for
example, hadn’t been refurbished since
the hotel’s opening in 1960), the owners
decided to launch a $1.5-million renovation to restore their original opulence
and grandeur.
Omni Hotels hired The McDonnel
Group as the general contractor for the
Royal Orleans project, and McDonnel is
now collaborating with project designer
Luke and Associates to give the Omni
Royal Orleans a new sparkle and shine.
A New “Old” Look
The moment guests walk into the renovated Omni Royal Orleans they see two antique “blackamoor” statues that
have guarded the main entryway since the hotel opened.
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Some sayings are clichés for a reason,
particularly the one about first impressions. The moment guests walk into the
renovated Omni Royal Orleans they see
two flights of marble stairs leading from
the main entrance to the lobby. McDonnel
transformed this area and a second tier
overlooking the hotel entrance from
unused space into a seating area, complete
with curved wrought-iron railings,
offering magnificent views of the lobby
and the hotel’s massive doorways.
The historic French Quarter theme McDonnel focused on
for the lobby restoration included new millwork, crown
moldings, and trim.
The company also created a marble planter
with pedestals for two antique “blackamoor” statues that have guarded the
main entryway since the hotel opened.
McDonnel will retain the Rib Room’s soaring ceiling as well as create a new gypsum ceiling dome.
McDonnel also renovated the registration
area. “Brian Reames, Project Superintendent, and his field crew demolished the old
front desk space along with the old marble
and glass walls in front of it,” explains David
McDonnel, Vice President. “Then we
rebuilt it from scratch with an old, French
Quarter look.” As part of this work,
McDonnel constructed an additional registration station and a mobility-impaired
check-in area to make the front desk more
customer friendly. The crews also moved
the concierge desk to a more-accessible,
central location. As a final touch, Omni
upgraded the hotel’s computer registration
system with the latest Microsoft technology.
McDonnel is collaborating with project designer Luke and Associates to give the Omni Royal Orleans new sparkle.
The historic French Quarter theme
McDonnel focused on for the lobby
restoration included new millwork, crown
moldings, and trim. “We had a thirdgeneration New Orleans plaster craftsman
come in and do plaster work on the ceilings, such as new medallions around the
chandeliers and additional trim work,”
says McDonnel. “The new plaster compliments the space perfectly, as if it had
been there forever.”
The company’s efforts added up to restored magnificence and a pleased client.
“All the work has made our entrance
considerably grander,” says Marc Becker,
Director of Sales and Marketing at the
Omni Royal Orleans.
Updated Lounge and Restaurant
new space with the adjacent Promenade
Room, which can now serve as a breakout
room and private dining room. McDonnel
added cut-glass French doors to give the
new areas a unique aspect, using custom
millwork door and window units to match
the original wood doors and windows
found on the hotel’s exterior facade.
Approximately 60 percent of the Omni
Royal Orleans business comes from meetings and conventions. To better accomThese renovations give the Omni Royal
modate those visitors, McDonnel transOrleans 18 function rooms on two floors,
formed the former Esplanade Lounge,
totaling more than 15,000 square feet, all
along with the lobby arcade, into additionContinues next page
al meeting space, and then connected the
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with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment and high-speed wireless Internet.
the hotel’s Escoffier Room, which was
basically used for storage, into an intimate
private dining room for up to 35 people
The Omni Royal’s popular Rib Room
overlooking the Rib Room. Downstairs,
restaurant, Rotisserie Extraordinaire,
the popular Wine Cellar and the Pipkin
which specializes in prime rib and Creole Room, also perfect for small groups, will
cuisine, is also receiving its first major
also be updated with new finishes.
overhaul. The McDonnel Group is
installing new mahogany paneling,
Meeting Tight Schedules
mahogany and marble insets around the
As with many engagements, The McDonnel
kitchen area and interior columns, new
Group found itself facing a tight, demandcarpeting and finish painting, and a
ing schedule with the Omni Royal project.
completely redesigned electrical system
For example, the Rib Room renovations
with custom chandeliers throughout the
originally called for a completion in
restaurant. The hotel will also replace
approximately 90 days. “Then the hotel
the famous oversized dining chairs
realized the last time the Rib Room shut
with duplicates made by the manufacdown, it lost many patrons and didn’t
turer that provides furniture to the
get them back for almost three years,”
White House.
McDonnel relates. “They asked us
McDonnel will retain the Rib Room’s
to shorten the work to under 60 days.
soaring ceiling as well as create a new
This request was evaluated and agreed
gypsum ceiling dome that will become
to by Tony Montalbano, Vice President
the centerpiece attraction. “The owner is of Field Operations.”
bringing in an artist and lighting consultant
To meet the hotel’s request, the company
to paint and illuminate the sky art dome,
so it looks as if the dome changes from day and its subcontractors committed multiple
teams. “The millwork contractor added
to night and can create special effects such
crews for fabrication and installation,”
as lightning,” McDonnel points out.
McDonnel continues. “There also will be
The McDonnel Group will also transform some night work for things such as
The hotel will continue the restoration work it began with the lobby and Rib Room by refurbishing
its grand salon area, which includes a ballroom, two additional function rooms, and an adjoining foyer.
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carpeting and painting, and we will work
every weekend.
“Andrew Silva, Project Manager, did an
excellent job at coordinating the shift in
the project schedule. This required very
detailed coordination with the designers,
subcontractors, and suppliers of ownerprovided materials, all of which played a
major role in the execution of the accelerated schedule,” says McDonnel.
Rave Reviews
Customer reaction to McDonnel’s finished
work is very positive, boasts Marc Becker.
“We did a survey and received responses
like ‘wonderful,’ ‘great,’ and ‘it’s about
time!’” he says.
Later this year, the hotel will continue the
restoration work it began with the lobby
and Rib Room by refurbishing its grand
salon area, which includes a ballroom,
two additional function rooms, and an adjoining foyer. Given McDonnel’s positive
experience with and excellent performance
on the current work, the company will no
doubt be looking to have a hand in that
project, too.
The Omni Royal’s popular Rib Room restaurant, Rotisserie Extraordinaire,
is also receiving its first major overhaul.