Photo courtesy of Brian Doll

The renovation of the Victorian building at the Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, Calif., upgraded, restored and expanded the existing 137-year-old structure. The number of rooms was increased to 404 from 367, while meeting spaces, ballrooms and other guest spaces were updated. The exterior facade, mechanical, electrical and plumbing were also among the many improvements made to the building.

Due to the structure’s historic nature, a specialized safety plan was implemented. Staff received training specifically geared toward working with this type of building. As the original Victorian was constructed mostly using wood, fire safety was particularly important. With this in mind, the team instituted a 24-hour third-party fire watch. Dust control and vibration monitoring were used to protect more delicate finishes.

Alisa Zevin is the economics editor for Engineering News-Record, covering economic issues within the construction industry, including construction economics and ENR's quarterly cost reports. She is based in New York City.