Square UP Builders and Power UP Electrical Contractors Selected AGCMO Keystone Award Finalists for Hotel St. Louis Project

Square UP Builders and Power UP Electrical Contractors have been named Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO) Keystone Award finalists for their work on the Hotel St. Louis project. The Keystone Awards, started in 1998, honor the achievements of Missouri’s construction firms and their employees in building facilities that support and enhance quality of life. The winners will be announced at the AGCMO’s Construction Awards Gala on Nov. 4 at the River City Casino & Hotel in St. Louis.

 

Square UP and Power UP (The UP Companies) helped transform the abandoned and deteriorating, 126-year-old Union Trust building at 705 Olive Street in St. Louis City into an operating boutique hotel under the Marriott Autograph Collection, while improving the downtown skyline and creating 200 new jobs in the process. Square UP provided all the finish and trim carpentry on the project and Power UP provided the complete design and build of the electrical/data system.

 

The developer, Restoration St. Louis, and The UP Companies were challenged with creating a newly renovated hotel within the constraints of the existing structure and space that had been previously designed for retail and office use. At 16-stories tall, the building is considered one of the world’s first skyscrapers, designed by iconic architect Louis Sullivan.

 

“We believe the Hotel St. Louis project was a great success. The UP Companies, Power UP Electrical and Square UP Builders, played an integral role in the project, and we were very pleased with their collaborative approach, quality workmanship and technical expertise,” said Amy Gill, Restoration St. Louis Principal.

 

Restoration St. Louis worked to create a new hotel while preserving and restoring many of the original elements, such as the ornate stained-glass windows, marble lobby, terra-cotta adornments and the grand entrance that was remade out of cast stone.

 

The completed $68 million hotel includes 15 luxury apartments and a top floor, 3-bedroom penthouse. The hotel also has 52 suites (30 with newly added balconies) and 140 total rooms – all with in-mirror TVs in the bathrooms. Additionally, the renovation includes a full restaurant and spa, a fitness room, large commercial kitchen, two Tesla charging stations, a first-floor banquet room and a rooftop bar and pool with views of Busch Stadium.

 

Power UP installed over 2,800 new light fixtures, a new 3,000 amp 277/480v service, a 400 KW generator, and lights to illuminate the exterior surfaces of the building. Systems for power, lighting, data, CCTV and AV were also added. Square UP installed the high-end finishes in the historical renovation, dealing with existing conditions, which all had to be field modified.

 

Minority participation on the project was set at a 25% goal. The UP Companies is a certified Minority Business Enterprise and exceeded the workforce requirements by providing 10,324.5 total minority hours or 30.1%.

 

“Restoration St. Louis is a minority owned company, and our values always move us towards making sure we are giving as many opportunities as we can in our community. The UP Companies helped us exceed our goal for minority workforce participation and made this the leader in the St. Louis community for minority participation on a job,” said Gill.

 

The project was completed within 14 months, with Hotel St. Louis officially opening in December 2018. The general contractor on the project was BSI Constructors of St. Louis, Missouri.