Classes began at UGA this week, and we had our first on-site construction meeting. The project team, including JM Wilkerson, Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein Architects, and Rialto Property Partners, as well as key project stakeholders, gathered in a double-wide trailer to discuss the construction schedule. Site grading and underground storm water systems are currently underway, which you can see from our walking tour of the site (visit album First On-Site Construction Meeting). August 11, 2009 is our target date for completion.
This week we saw a pronounced difference in the pulse of downtown Athens. The streets have come to life with the arrival of UGA students. This observation reminded us of the value of bringing student perspective into our project. We just hired an Interior Design student from UGA who has the talent to make a unique contribution to our hotel. In addition to helping us with space planning, Sarah Brown will be helping us make inroads with the university's art departments. Design and art are a big part of our vision for the hotel, and we are looking for opportunities to bring in new ideas via student competitions.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Nuci's Space and Athens Land Trust
We took a trip to Athens yesterday to personally deliver our "greenbreaking" donations to Nuci's Space and Athens Land Trust (see Album entitled Nuci and ALT). We are so impressed by what these organizations have accomplished, we can't help but talk about them.
Nuci's Space was created in honor of Nuci Phillips who was a talented musician and student at the University of Georgia until he took his own life in 1996. Nuci suffered from depression, and so the Foundation created a place where musicians could seek mental health treatment without stigma. During our visit, we could see why the foundation has been so successful at attracting musicians and saving lives, from the sound-treated practice rooms to the people behind its mission. We had the opportunity to meet Nuci's mother Linda, as well as Bob Sleppy, who spoke very candidly about their personal motivation behind the cause.
We also met with Heather Benham of Athens Land Trust who is working to create energy-efficient and affordable housing for the Athens community. At the same time, the organization is responsible for protecting 1200 acres of farmland and forestland. We learned that land trusts are playing a large role in natural resource protection--more than 6.2 million acres of greenspace in the U.S. is protected by land trusts according to a recent census.
Our greenbreaking has inspired us to leave a development footprint that's as green and responsible as Athens Land Trust, and to create a hotel environment that's as welcoming and memorable as Nuci's Space. One detail about Nuci's Space that was particularly striking was its location in Athens, just in front of the tower where Athens' most famous band used to practice--how's that for tribute?
Nuci's Space was created in honor of Nuci Phillips who was a talented musician and student at the University of Georgia until he took his own life in 1996. Nuci suffered from depression, and so the Foundation created a place where musicians could seek mental health treatment without stigma. During our visit, we could see why the foundation has been so successful at attracting musicians and saving lives, from the sound-treated practice rooms to the people behind its mission. We had the opportunity to meet Nuci's mother Linda, as well as Bob Sleppy, who spoke very candidly about their personal motivation behind the cause.
We also met with Heather Benham of Athens Land Trust who is working to create energy-efficient and affordable housing for the Athens community. At the same time, the organization is responsible for protecting 1200 acres of farmland and forestland. We learned that land trusts are playing a large role in natural resource protection--more than 6.2 million acres of greenspace in the U.S. is protected by land trusts according to a recent census.
Our greenbreaking has inspired us to leave a development footprint that's as green and responsible as Athens Land Trust, and to create a hotel environment that's as welcoming and memorable as Nuci's Space. One detail about Nuci's Space that was particularly striking was its location in Athens, just in front of the tower where Athens' most famous band used to practice--how's that for tribute?
Friday, August 8, 2008
Construction has officially commenced
A massive amount of dirt has started to move around our site. We consider this news to mark the official commencement of construction. To view more pictures of the site grading, please visit today's album.
Wondering why your weren't invited to a groundbreaking event? Because we didn't have one! In lieu of a traditional hole-digging ceremony, we decided to have a "greenbreaking" instead, and diverted funds to support community intiatives, including Nuci's Space and Athens Land Trust. Check out our offical announcement to the press here: http://www.athensdowntownhotel.com/indigo-pr-80408.pdf
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Ellen Hanson Designs
Our NYC based designer Ellen Hanson has a mention in the New York Times today. Look for the Home section, under the article "What Green Means in the Hamptons" (Page D7 in paper format), where photographs of her kitchen and dining area design are featured. We love the handcrafted table, made of pieces of lumber from the original house and sitting on steel legs made by a local blacksmith.
Just as our architects Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein have designed the building to meet Gold LEED criteria, Ellen Hanson is using a green lens in her selection of the hotel's interior finishes and furnishings. Because there are no LEED-equivalent standards for interior furnishings, she has self-imposed such design criteria as specifying materials sourced from within a 500 mile radius and using local suppliers whenever possible.
Ellen is also the creator of the "Green Scene" on 1stdibs.com.
Just as our architects Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein have designed the building to meet Gold LEED criteria, Ellen Hanson is using a green lens in her selection of the hotel's interior finishes and furnishings. Because there are no LEED-equivalent standards for interior furnishings, she has self-imposed such design criteria as specifying materials sourced from within a 500 mile radius and using local suppliers whenever possible.
Ellen is also the creator of the "Green Scene" on 1stdibs.com.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Athens Grow Green Coalition
We recently learned that Athens has its own organization for promoting sustainable development called the Athens Grow Green Coalition (AGGC). We have taken interest in the group, because we share their mission to promote responsible community development.
Last week we had the opportunity to meet two representatives of the board, and we have been thinking about ways to get involved. We have been tossing around different ideas, from providing financial support to assisting with a lecture series on sustainable development. Stay tuned for future updates, but we wanted to get the word out about the group's initiatives, one of which is an annual report called "Growing Sustainability."
Last week we had the opportunity to meet two representatives of the board, and we have been thinking about ways to get involved. We have been tossing around different ideas, from providing financial support to assisting with a lecture series on sustainable development. Stay tuned for future updates, but we wanted to get the word out about the group's initiatives, one of which is an annual report called "Growing Sustainability."
Monday, July 21, 2008
Corey Smith Concert
Friends of UGA's Music Business Program, UGA Alumni, and friends of Hotel Indigo – Athens gathered on Saturday night to see Corey Smith perform at Chastain Park. Over one hundred people showed up at Rick and Jane Fine's home for a cocktail party before heading over to the concert on a Fur Bus. Our crowd took over a whole section and danced the night away to tunes of "The Good Life", "Every Dawg" and "Twenty-One." Check out Corey's website and have a listen: www.coreysmith.org/music.cfm
Also take a look at our slide show of pictures from the evening (link here)—they do a way better job of describing the fun we had. If you had as good a time as we did, please post your comments and/or send photos to rialtopp@gmail.com. Thanks to everyone who came out to support Athens' musicians.
Also take a look at our slide show of pictures from the evening (link here)—they do a way better job of describing the fun we had. If you had as good a time as we did, please post your comments and/or send photos to rialtopp@gmail.com. Thanks to everyone who came out to support Athens' musicians.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Searching for sustainable building materials
We have been exploring sustainable building materials this week, and we are overwhelmed by the number of green options out there. In flooring alone we have seen everything from recycled hardwood to “green” vinyl. Our fear of “green washing” kicks in and we feel compelled to do our homework.
We are learning that product life cycle information is hard to find, and that we have to trust our suppliers to provide truthful statistics. It seems that almost every manufacturing company is advertising a green advantage of some kind. But we are resolved to find products that go above and beyond meeting LEED standards, products that are exceptions to general claims of sustainability.
Here is an interesting twist on sustainability… This week Shaw introduced us to a “prison wood” line of Anderson flooring. It meets the usual criteria we look for in sustainable products (such as recycled content and responsible manufacturing), but there is also a story about the people behind its creation. The wood is hand crafted by inmates at a correctional institution in South Carolina, near Anderson’s headquarters. It is a voluntary job that pays above minimum wage; it helps inmates build skills and a work ethic; and it prepares them for re-entry into society. In return, Shaw/Anderson is able to deliver a beautiful, high quality product. It’s sustainable on all dimensions—a generative workforce using recycled product to create a distressed wood that designers love.
We are learning that product life cycle information is hard to find, and that we have to trust our suppliers to provide truthful statistics. It seems that almost every manufacturing company is advertising a green advantage of some kind. But we are resolved to find products that go above and beyond meeting LEED standards, products that are exceptions to general claims of sustainability.
Here is an interesting twist on sustainability… This week Shaw introduced us to a “prison wood” line of Anderson flooring. It meets the usual criteria we look for in sustainable products (such as recycled content and responsible manufacturing), but there is also a story about the people behind its creation. The wood is hand crafted by inmates at a correctional institution in South Carolina, near Anderson’s headquarters. It is a voluntary job that pays above minimum wage; it helps inmates build skills and a work ethic; and it prepares them for re-entry into society. In return, Shaw/Anderson is able to deliver a beautiful, high quality product. It’s sustainable on all dimensions—a generative workforce using recycled product to create a distressed wood that designers love.
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