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Open For Business

The Sheraton Orlando North raised its flag on August 24, 2006 to commemorate its official opening following the multi-million dollar renovation. The new property houses 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, a restaurant, bar, business center, fitness center, Starbucks, concierge lounge, gift shop, and more.

Before (above): The lobby was “tired” and in need of some basic functional updates. That’s another reason why the decision was made to “create a new lobby area (pictured below), and now all of the new front desks meet ADA compliance rules,” Siegel explains. PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SHERATON ORLANDO NORTH

One of the first groups to book with the property was a youth hockey league—regular visitors who compete at the nearby Richard DeVos Center. According to Valenzuela, one of the members of the group commented, “‘I’ve been coming here for seven years, and I got really annoyed when you guys bought this hotel and closed it. But what a difference!’”

The new facility incorporates the original six-story structure that was gutted to re-establish itself as a new building with interiors by the award-winning Tischler Haus Design Group. The refurbished rotunda lobby offers a warm and elegant ambiance with plush seating, bright persimmon walls, and marble floors with patterned carpet inlay.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SHERATON ORLANDO NORTH

Siegel explains, “When you have people who were in the building prior to the renovation—because almost everyone in the area knows the property—they’re shocked when they come back. People walk through this building now, and there are so many different reactions.”

Siegel explains, “Now enter the lobby, and it has totally changed. There’s this big atrium area, and four beautiful elevators just shoot up and down.”

The dramatic transformation achieves a distinct “sense of arrival as guests walk through the doors,” Valenzuela observes. “I recently had to work for the weekend, so my family came and stayed—even my wife! She just couldn’t believe it was the same hotel.”

The new guest rooms (above and below) are designed in tones of beige, brown, and persimmon. Each room has contemporary, dark mahogany and walnut furnishings and sleek, brushed stainless steel accents. PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SHERATON ORLANDO NORTH

A seasoned veteran of the hospitality industry, Valenzuela says the new building is great from his perspective. Although he knows he won’t get a true sense of its nuances until “everyone is dog tired and every room is occupied. You really don’t get the chance to shake out all of the little cobwebs until then.”

Still, he feels strongly that customers will be very satisfied with the new property, “especially because the original was so bad. It really is the ugly duckling that turned into a swan.”

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SHERATON ORLANDO NORTH

Chad Waetzig, senior vice president, marketing for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts states, “With its upscale style and finishes that speak so well to the Sheraton brand, this hotel exudes comfort. Add to that its prime location, and this property does an exceptional job of fulfilling the needs of business and leisure travelers alike.”

This article was based on interviews with Siegel (ssiegel@paramounthotelgroup.com) and Valenzuela (pvalenzuela@paramounthotelgroup.com), arranged by Sharlet Brennan (Sharlet.Brennan@ypbr.com) of YPBR.

Project Information:

Project: Sheraton Orlando North. Location: Maitland, FL. Type of Project: Major renovation of existing building. Function of facility: Hospitality. Owner: Paramount Hotel Group, LLC, and AMC Delancey Group, Inc. Project Manager: Stephen Siegel, Senior VP of Construction. Facility Manager: Peter N. Valenzuela, General Manager. Square Footage: 296,000. Funding: Anglo Irish Bank. Timetable: 12 months. Architect: BMA Architectural Group. Interior Designer: Tischler Haus Design Group. Electrical Engineer: Stafford Engineering. Mechanical Engineer: Larry Fairbrothers. General Contractor/Construction Manager: Denco Remodeling Group, Inc. Landscape Architect: Redmond Design; JCR Consulting.

Product Information:

Furniture: CF Kent. Chairs: Mitchell Gold. Conference Room Furniture/Equipment: Global Allied. Fabrics/Textiles/Upholstery: Kravet; Valley Forge. Wallcoverings/Treatments/Paint: Permitex; MDC; US Vinyl. Movable Walls: Panelfold. Carpet: Lexmark (rooms); DESSO, Aureus (public spaces). Light Fixtures/Bulbs: Renaissance Lighting; Topco-Genesis. Wayfinding: GSI Signage. Rest Rooms: American Standard. Elevators: Schindler. CCTV: ON-Command. Door Locks: Ilco-Kaba. HVAC Equipment: GE (rooms); Carrier and Desert Aire (public spaces). Building Management System/Services: CSSI. Telecommunications: Tharaldson. Network Equipment: Stay On Line. Roofing: Dura-Last.

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