The restoration the hotel�s façade completes a comprehensive property renovation that began more than six years ago, and includes award-winning guest rooms and marble bathrooms, three exquisite new luxury suites, completely upgraded meeting space, three exciting new restaurants, and soon, a state of the art high-tech business center. 

According to Todd Saunders, Executive Vice President of the Saunders Hotel Group, the exterior restoration that was the culmination of the project replaced 225,000 bricks, 612 windows, 60 tons of terra cotta and took thousands of hours of expert planning, design and coordination. 

Frequented by celebrities and discerning guests and long known as the �see and be seen� alternative for luxury accommodations in Boston, the façade project employed sophisticated techniques of restoration and conservation that continue Saunders� commitment to preserving the past and protecting the future.

Reconstructing a Historic Landmark: Brick by Brick

The exterior restoration project began more than two years ago when it became clear that water had seeped through the bricks and mortar on the 100 year-old building and become trapped. This caused the steel beams that support the façade to rust and expand. As the steel rusted, it began pushing out the bricks. Unchecked over time, the enormous pressure from the rust � 10,000 pounds per square inch � eventually would have caused the brick headers and masonry windowsills to snap.

Rather than simply patch the problem, the Saunders family engaged a team of architectural and engineering specialists to restore the property�s classic design, replicating the original structure by matching bricks, mortar color and pre-cast materials to the exact original detail. The work included stripping off the exterior skin of the building to repair the steel, removing and replacing all terra cotta elements with a custom-made lightweight glass fiber reinforced plastic material (GFRP), and designing the GFRP with enough �legroom� to permit readjustment inward or outward to fit a building that has �grown� in recent years.

Todd Saunders calls it �a puzzle akin to putting Humpty Dumpty back together again� � adding that the solution required �a team effort of creative engineering and constant problem solving to restore this historic building to its original grandeur while incorporating modernizing features.�

According to Michael Teller, A.I.A. the lead architect from CBI Consulting Inc., a Boston firm that specializes in historical restoration, the project was unique in scope and impact. He said, �In 25 years in the business, I have never been involved with a hotel preservation project in which so much care was taken to preserve the historical feel of a building while also guaranteeing maximum flexibility for the future.�

A Historic Building Becomes �State of the Art�

The work did not end with bricks and mortar. New features on the familiar Back Bay hotel include exterior lighting to highlight all the exquisite details of the building, from the white brick quoining to the columns and capitals, and especially the classic rooftop cornice which crowns the building. High-tech building components such as extensive fire-rated insulation and a waterproof membrane make up a new curtain wall system, hidden behind the building�s water struck brick veneer.
 To conserve energy and eliminate outside noise and dust infiltration, all 612 of the hotel�s windows were replaced with state of the art, double-paned, soft-coated Low-E glass windows, ensuring that guests will have an even more quiet and comfortable stay. 

Jeff Saunders, President and CEO of the Saunders Hotel Group, noted, �You could put this hotel next to Logan Airport and with these windows and insulation, one   would never hear a sound. The Lenox is redefining urban peace and tranquility.�
 In keeping with the family�s longstanding commitment to environmental preservation, an effort was also made to reuse and recycle resources: brick and masonry removed from the building were recycled and reused for asphalt surfaces, and the aluminum from the old window frames was recycled as well.

Breathing New Life in to a Back Bay Classic

The Lenox, which has been part of the Saunders family for generations, remained open to serve guests throughout the project. Originally designed by architect Arthur H. Bowditch, who also designed Boston�s Hotel Somerset in 1897 and The Paramount Theatre in 1930, the hotel was built in 1900 in a record-breaking eight months at a cost of $1.1 million. 

The Lenox, which has been the site of the Boston Marathon finish line since its inception in 1955, hosts the Boston Film Festival and has been named �Best Place to Spot A Celebrity� and �Best Place for a Romantic Getaway� by Boston Magazine. 

Recently, the hotel added two new restaurants and a new lounge, including Azure, City Bar, and Solas, under the direction of Chef Robert Fathman, one of the most innovative and recognized culinary stars in the country. Azure, specializing in innovative, upscale seafood specialties, opened to critical acclaim earlier this month. 

About The Lenox

The Lenox Hotel is a landmark in the heart of Boston�s historic Back Bay. Under Saunders family ownership for more than 35 years, it offers the intimacy, personal attention and quiet, exclusive atmosphere of a small, classic European hotel, amidst the cosmopolitan cultural, historical and tourist offerings of Boston. With 214 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, The Lenox is a winner of the AAA four-diamond award, a distinguished member of Historic Hotels of America, and is recognized for gracious accommodations and attention to detail.  It is a Saunders Hotel Group property, operated by a 3rd generation Boston family with a rich tradition of leadership in the local community, the hospitality industry and an unparalleled reputation for delivering consistent, customized, unique guest experiences at each of its properties.  The Lenox Hotel continues the Company�s commitment to �preserving the past and protecting the future,� providing the highest standards of guest comfort, attention and excellence among Boston hotels.