Hoffman Renovates a Hoffman Renovation
The Nines
In a major renovation of the historic Meier & Frank department store in downtown Portland, Hoffman built a new 330-room, 325,000 SF luxury hotel that occupies floors six through 16 of the structure.
The hotel features a lobby with glass covered atrium, restaurant and lounge on the 8th floor; a ballroom on the 6th floor, conference rooms, and banquet facilities. In addition to the interior renovation, the entire building was seismically upgraded to current codes, and the exterior terra cotta “skin” was completely cleaned and repaired.
Challenge
On a busy, urban site, how can a delicate renovation combine different eras—1908, 1914, and 1950s—into one building?
Solution
The team matched the existing façade by molding and casting different elements from the early 1900s. Through careful planning the construction team flew all oversized materials and supplies in through the roof, careful to not damage the existing architecture.
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2009 National Preservation Honor Award — National Trust for Historic Preservation
2009 Citation Award — AIA Portland
2009 Best Hotel — Boutique Design Awards
Meier and Frank Renovation and Addition: 1931
Building Mockups to Get the Details Right
Hoffman built a complete mock-up of a finished guest room long before the building itself was complete. The owners and design team came to see it and analyzed every detail in a marathon review session. The owner was able to fine-tune the details, such as adjusting the location of outlets to fit the furniture they decided to purchase.
No Impact: Building in a Downtown Hub
Demolition and removal of existing structures occurred next to active city streets in downtown Portland, including the central hub for the city’s bus and light-rail routes. The ground floor retail remained in operation throughout construction, requiring meticulous planning to minimize disruption to shoppers. Through careful planning, the construction team flew all oversized materials and supplies in through the roof, careful not to damage the existing architecture.
A New Central Atrium
To accommodate the layout of the hotel’s 333 guestrooms, a seven story daylight atrium was cut into the building, creating a central focus space for the hotel’s lobby, bar, and restaurant.
Resilient Seismic Upgrades
A full seismic upgrade utilizing an innovative viscous damper system was also incorporated.
Hoffman Builds: Renovations
Hoffman’s reputation for phenomenal renovations is built on preserving the beauty of the past while ushering in modern touches and advances in technology. We have completed dozens of expansion and remodel projects and consider it an honor to maintain and renovate historic buildings for future generations.
