Chatwal Hotel

Manhattan, New York
87,000 sf – $45M – Built 2010

Owner: 130 West 44th Hotel Associates LLC
Architect: William Q. Brothers III
Structural Engineer: Weidlinger Associates Inc
Personal Role: Project Manager/ Engineer

Project Summary: The landmark building known as Lamb’s Club has a rich history, especially in the theater performance business and community. When the new owners wanted to transform the building into a boutique hotel in Times Square by adding four floors to the existing six-story building, it presented considerable challenges in terms of landmark preservation, structural renovation and stabilization. In order to meet the five-star standard, the existing basement was excavated further down to create a sub-floor for hotel amenities. As a result, the existing steel columns were reinforced and extended into the rock. The existing massive trusses above the theater in the third floor were too deep and had to be trimmed, which added to the difficulty of the project as it had to be done without affecting the columns
and floors above. The client was pleased with the end result and the project won a Gold Award from ACEC New York in 2011.