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Sage Hospitality Details Efforts to Earn High Marks for its Eco Friendly
Restoration for Portland's Meier & Frank Department Store into
The Nines, a 331 room Hotel 

Portland, Oregon - -July 19, 2007- -Sage Hospitality Resources, the Denver, Co based hospitality company that is converting the nine upper floors of the historic Meier & Frank department store into The Nines, a 331-room Starwood Luxury Collection hotel, is looking to earn high marks for its eco �friendly restoration design and construction. Sage will seek LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council�s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for the renovation of the Meier & Frank landmark into The Nines. Created by the USGBC in 1993, LEED is a nationally accepted certification program for the design, construction and operation of high performance, sustainable  �green� buildings. To earn certification, projects must be awarded credits in six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation in the design process. 

In addition to earning recognition for preserving the original Meier & Frank building and creating a new use for the historic landmark, The Nines project will generate   measurable environmental benefits from the design and construction program implemented during the LEED process. Substantial energy savings will be realized by sealing and insulating some 600 existing inoperable windows to prevent air infiltration, by utilizing compact fluorescent lamps and installing energy-efficient mechanical systems to help optimize the hotel�s energy performance at a rate of 26% less than code.   

By specifying water-conserving plumbing fixtures for the hotel, The Nines is projected to use 33% less water than the baseline requirements set forth by the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Individual guestrooms will be outfitted with dual-flush toilets and low-flow aerators on lavatories resulting in an estimated annual savings of over 400,000 gallons of water per year. 
 
The Nines will contract with renewable energy sources (generated from 100% clean, renewable energy such as wind power) to provide electricity for the hotel, reducing CO2 emissions dramatically. It is estimated that the decision by Sage to purchase renewable energy for The Nines annually will prevent over 6 million pounds of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere - the equivalent of removing 536 cars off the road.

When The Nines opens, Sage will incorporate a �green housekeeping� policy to enhance and promote a healthy hotel environment for guests and employees. Hotel guests will also have the opportunity to choose luxury services that incorporate  �green � practices during their stay. All cleaning products used in the hotel will be certified by Green Seal, an independent, non-profit organization that encourages the use of eco-friendly products that cause less pollution and waste than standard cleaners. To maximize indoor air quality, low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, sealants and adhesives are being specified for the hotel interiors. The Nines will maintain a non-smoking policy throughout the facility. 

�Sage Hospitality is very committed to creating added value in the communities where we work and for our hotel guests�, Ken Geist, executive vice president of Sage Hospitality Resources said.  �With The Nines, we are not only preserving a singular architectural landmark and giving it new life; but also establishing innovative environmental benchmarks by renovating green and with the eco-friendly operation of the hotel.�

Deconstruction and clean up of the building are well underway. Approximately 90%-95% of the total construction waste (over 19 million pounds) has been diverted from landfills and recycled for variety of products/uses. Over 7,000 square feet of concrete and steel have been �surgically� removed to create a stunning 100� high atrium/lobby for The Nines. The project�s recycling efforts are looking to set a new standard in the hotel construction industry.

In addition to the interior renovation of The Nines, the entire building is being seismically upgraded to current codes and the terra cotta façade of the national landmark will be completely cleaned and repaired.  The design for the seismic upgrades was based on the Federal Emergency Management Agencies Guideline for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings� (FEMA 356) to reduce seismic demand on the structure.  

After studying many possible schemes, viscous dampers were chosen for their flexibility and proven performance in absorbing shock and vibration loads. The installation of viscous dampeners made the renovation possible because the technology is less disruptive to the existing building structure and Sage�s restoration efforts to preserve the integrity of its historic architectural fabric. 

The general contractor for the The Nines project is Hoffman Construction Company of Oregon. SERA Architects is the architect of record, KPFF Consulting Engineers serves as the structural engineer and PAE CONSULTING ENGINEERS, INC. is the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer.

Key components of Sage�s $118 million renovation of The Nines include a sky-light covered atrium encircled by the hotel rooms; a signature, destination restaurant on the 8th floor and a rooftop lounge; a 7,000 square foot ballroom on the 6th floor, conference rooms and banquet facilities. A new elevator lobby on Morrison Street will provide guests dedicated access up to the grand hotel lobby on the 8th floor. 

The lower five floors of the historic building will be consolidated and retained as a Macy�s department store and dramatically refurbished by Federated Department Stores Company, Inc. into a new and exciting shopping environment. When it opens in summer of 2008, The Nines will be a state of the art hotel offering the latest in interactive technology and top tier luxury service to its guests-set in a national historic landmark and in one of Portland�s most legendary and beloved buildings.

Constructed in stages starting 1909, the 15-story Meier & Frank reigned as the biggest retail outlet west of the Mississippi for decades and was one of the largest department stores in the nation, housing everything from a pharmacy to a pet store. The flagship store, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed by Portland architect A. E. Doyle and represents one of the earliest examples of the Terra Cotta-type commercial palaces. 

About Sage Hospitality Resources

Founded in 1984, Sage Hospitality Resources has strategically grown into one of the largest privately held hotel management and development company in the nation. 

During the past five years, the Denver, CO-based firm has completed over $1.1 billion in acquisition and development projects, using some of the most unique financing structures in the industry. Sage is a preferred franchise partner for Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. In addition to major international brands, Sage�s comprehensive management portfolio includes independent hotels such as the visionary 21C Hotel/Museum in Louisville, KY (the signature hotel incorporates an art museum devoted to collecting and displaying living, contemporary artists from around the world). 

Sage�s new Restaurant Group has opened its first restaurant, The Corner Office Restaurant and Martini Bar adjacent to the Curtis hotel in Downtown Denver. The Restaurant Group plans 22 individually themed, destination restaurants nationwide by 2011. 

Sage is also nationally recognized for converting historic properties into signature hotels.  Since 1997, when the company pioneered its first urban redevelopment initiative, Sage has preserved and transformed six underutilized national landmarks into award-winning hotel properties that serve as an important catalyst for downtown revitalization. Other historic projects that have recently been completed or are in the process of renovation are the Renaissance Providence Hotel in Providence, RI and the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago, IL.                     

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Contact:

Susanne Voeltz
Sage Hospitality Resources
Phone: 608/284-0848
[email protected] 
http://www.sagehospitality.com/

 

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Also See: Portland Oregon Will Provide Sage Hospitality $13.9 million in Low Interest Loans to Transform Downtown Office Buildiong Into a Swank 334-room hote Hotel / May 2005
Sage Hospitality Will Use Federal New Markets Tax Credits For Proposed $80 million Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Portland / May 2004
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