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Bungalows at the Breakers
Beachfront Development Latest Addition
to Palm Beach's Famed Resort
By Debra Wood
Ever striving to maintain the utmost in luxurious accommodations,
The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., recently completed a $15
million beachfront bungalow project. It's the latest in a
long line of improvements to the renowned resort first built
by Henry Flagler in 1900. (It was rebuilt in 1906 after the
original structure was destroyed by fire in 1903.)
"On the heels of investing $250 million over the past
15 years in a comprehensive revitalization of The Breakers,
it was time to follow suit with a complete transformation
of the beach area and its amenities," the resort's spokesperson,
Ann Margo Peart, said in an e-mail statement.
The Breakers is one of only nine Florida hotels and 16 Southeastern
properties to achieve AAA Five Diamond recognition. AAA does
not consider bungalows as a separate item in rating a property,
said Michael Petrone, director of AAA Tourism Information
Development and head of the AAA Diamond Ratings. However,
these additions may enhance the resort's ability to provide
a high level of personal attention to guests, something critical
to obtaining the ratings pinnacle.
"The Breakers has done a lot during the last 10 years,
more than any other property," Petrone said. "They
are doing ongoing renovations, and the cabanas are just one
more thing."
Wimberley Allison Tong & Goo of Newport Beach, Calif.,
designed the 20 225-sq.-ft., one-room bungalows.
"The architecture of the Breakers cabanas is reminiscent
of the historical cottages currently on the property and evokes
a relaxed Florida resort design style," Monica Cuervo,
project manager for Wimberley Allison Tong & Goo, said
in an e-mail. "The single-story bungalow cabanas, painted
in balmy cottage colors, provide the luxuries of today with
the rich traditions exclusively characteristic of the Breakers."
The Breakers rents the bungalows for daytime use at between
$219 and $795 per day, depending on the season. The bungalows
are intended for guest use while enjoying the pool. The back
of each unit contains a bathroom, with an open-sky shower,
toilet, sink and changing area. Amenities include wireless
Internet access, cordless telephone, wall-mounted flat-screen
television, refrigerator, wet bar, tables, chairs and a day-bed
sofa.
The beachfront bungalow project broke ground in June and was
completed in March.
The bungalows are grouped in duplexes and triplexes and wrap
around two new, lushly landscaped swimming pools and three
in-ground spas. EDSA of Fort Lauderdale served as landscape
architect.
The project also included construction of a 3,000-sq.-ft.
laundry and staff facility and a 1,000-sq.-ft. communal bathhouse,
as well as a 1,500-sq.-ft. expansion of the existing beach
club and spa.
The Weitz Co. of West Palm Beach, the project's construction
manager-at-risk, began planning and consulting on constructability
about nine months before construction began, meeting weekly
with the owner and designer. Representatives also met with
building department and other town officials to review the
job and scheduling.
"The meetings go a long way to set the expectations for
the project, so town officials start to march in step with
us from the beginning," said Mark Huber, project manager
for Weitz.
A limited and congested site, just steps from the ocean and
surrounded by private residences and the hotel, presented
staging and logistic challenges. Deliveries were made at two
points, a service road and through the hotel parking lot.
Weitz bought a school bus and transported workers to the jobsite
from a parking area about a mile away.
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Weitz erected an 8-ft.-high, wood-paneled
fence to separate the jobsite from the functioning hotel.
The Breakers covered the barrier with renderings of the upcoming
bungalow area.
The beachfront bungalow project broke ground in June 2005
and was completed in March 2006. Weitz self-performed about
20 percent of the work, including the concrete and rebar,
wood-frame trusses and exterior framing and skin.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection required
creation of a berm to separate the project from the beach
and restoration of dunes to prevent beach erosion. Three boardwalks
lead to the beach from the pool/cabana area.
The bungalows sit between 10 and 15 ft. above sea level and
are supported by 30-ft.-deep, reinforced-concrete and steel
piles, topped with monolithic slabs.
"The piles were needed because we were building on the
east side, the beach side, of the coastal construction line,"
Huber said. "Anything built ocean side of this coastal
construction line has to be on piles."
The bungalows are constructed of concrete blocks with wood-frame
trusses. Each building has a slate roof, with copper gutters,
and Hardiplank lap siding to eliminate termite risk.
"Almost all of the glass on the job, doors and windows
are impact rated, hurricane resistant," Huber said. "We
had to use hurricane shutters in some of the service areas."
Hurricanes are a fact of life in coastal South Florida. During
construction, Hurricane Wilma blew through. Weitz crews spent
five days preparing. Even so, a hole dug for a pool filled
with sand, the fence came down and some slate came off the
roofs.
The hotel shut down for eight days, four without power, but
experienced no significant damage. Weitz assisted with cleanup.
Some key contractors became overwhelmed with offsite repairs,
but none abandoned the Breakers' job.
Huber estimates Weitz lost nearly four weeks of bungalow construction
due to the storm.
Construction took place during sea turtle nesting season,
precluding any night work needing lights. When a turtle nested
too close to the site the day after the project received final
permits, Weitz had to build its fence around the nest, so
as not to disturb the turtle. Turtle monitors came to the
beach to ensure its well-being.
Weitz has completed about $130 million worth of work during
the past 13 years at the Breakers. The company maintains an
office on the property and is available for quick repairs
as well as major projects. In addition to the bungalows, it
has built a new beach club and spa, a golf and tennis club
and also has renovated the hotel's north and south towers,
ballroom and various public areas. All jobs are fast tracked
and completed without shutting down the hotel.
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Key Players
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| Owner: |
The Breakers,
Palm Beach |
| General
Contractor: |
The Weitz
Co., West Palm Beach |
| Architect: |
Wimberley
Allison Tong & Goo, Newport Beach, Calif. |
| Landscape
Architect: |
EDSA, Fort
Lauderdale |
| Mechanical
and Plumbing Engineer: |
Hanson
Professional Services, West Palm Beach |
| Structural
Engineer: |
O N M &
J, West Palm Beach |
| Masonry: |
Farmer
and Irwin Corp., Riviera Beach |
| Electrical: |
Bradford
Electric Inc., Lake Worth |
| Drywall: |
Ralph Della-Pietra,
Jupiter |
| Miscellaneous
Metals: |
Skyline
Steel, Fort Lauderdale |
Useful Sources: The Breakers Beachfront Experience
http://www.thebreakers.com/beachfrontredevelopment/projectinformation/
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