February 20, 2014 – ENR California

By California Views

R.D. Olson Construction has been busy lately. This is especially true in Los Angeles county, where the Irvine, CA-based general contractor has recently promoted three project executives to help with a series of new hotel projects underway. Highlighting this construction onslaught is the new $44 million SpringHill Suites by Marriott in the city Burbank.

As part of the city’s Downtown Revitalization plan, the new five-story,170-room hotel will feature an interior design theme that pays homage to the area’s rich history in the entertainment industry. When construction is complete in spring 2015, R.D. Olson Development will retain ownership of the hotel, while Marriott International will provide management services.

The 102,075-sq-ft, all-suite hotel was designed by San Diego-based Awbrey Cook McGill Architects and features Marriott’s latest Gen 4.5 design for SpringHill Suites and will meet the needs of weekday business travelers and weekend leisure guests in a sleek, contemporary setting. The hotel is designed with a room mix that includes 88 king bed and 82 double queen bed configurations.

Guestroom suites will boast dedicated work spaces with a full-sized desk, free Wi-Fi, separate seating area, kitchenettes with microwaves, mini-fridges and coffee service, and bathrooms equipped with separate showers and bathtubs. Public amenities in the hotel include a breakfast area, lounge, meeting facilities, a fitness center, business center, guest laundry and an onsite convenience market. Outdoor amenities include a beautifully landscaped outdoor space with a fire pit and an inviting pool and spa area.

The project marks R.D. Olson’s second Marriott brand development in Burbank. The firm also developed the 166-room Residence Inn by Marriott Burbank in 2007. The hotel is expected to add approximately 50 full- and part-time employees and average $920,000 in transient occupancy tax annually over the next ten years.

The company also has a $50-million, eight-story Courtyard by Marriott currently in construction at the Irvine Spectrum in Irvine. Designed by international architecture firm WATG, the 210-room will contain a lap pool, spa area, 1,500-sq-ft fitness center, lounge area and bar, guest laundry, 8,500 sq-ft of meeting space and a convenience market. The 131,667-sq-ft hotel is scheduled for completion this July 2014.

Another new hotel on R.D. Olson’s docket is the $45 million Bicycle Casino Hotel in Bell Gardens, a few miles south of Downtown LA. Scheduled to break ground next month the 100-room, seven-story, luxury hotel will feature more than 15,000 sq-ft of meeting and event space, a bakery/cafe, restaurant, penthouse nightclub, roof-top open air gaming area, health spa, fitness center and a second floor elevated swimming pool with cabanas.

Officials say the 117,907-sq-ft hotel will create approximately 300 construction-related jobs in a community that is currently experiencing 16.3 percent unemployment. Construction is planned for completion the first quarter of 2015.

The increase in construction activity for the company has prompted the recent promotion of three project executives: Matthew Grubb, Tommy Marcum and John Ramirez. The three men “exhibit the breadth of experience, talent and focused energy that is crucial to the role of project executive,” said Bob Olson, founder and chief executive officer of R.D. Olson Construction in a news release.