Dovetail General Contractors | Owner Ethan Stowell Restaurant Group | 7,000 square feet
Tenant Improvement (TI) – Restaurant
The Cortina restaurant was a tenant improvement project in the space that was previously the home of Sullivan’s Steak house at 621 Union St. in Seattle. The project
improved almost 7,000 square feet. In coordination with Dovetail Construction, we were able to complete the project with the high-end touch the design team was looking for.
Coming into the project, we knew that the ceiling design/construction would be the biggest challenge to overcome. This would take coordination from every trade
involved with the ceiling: mechanical, fire alarm, sprinkler, security/data, electrical, not to mention the acoustical ceiling installer themselves. We first started
with a Superplot (a layered drawing that shows everyone’s scope of work). With this information we were able to do a “clash detection” analysis and resolve any issues prior to construction. Once this was completed,
we then began to layout the build on the floor, prior to installation. In this way, everyone was working from the same layout and everyone was on the same page.
As we started to transfer the layout to the ceiling and begin construction, we immediately began to realize the
tolerances were much closer than we had original anticipated - from ¼” to 1/16”. This may seem like a small difference, but in reality, it was significant.
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To be able to maintain symmetry we had to individually position light fixture locations through each ceiling panel via an elaborate strut system that we created to minimize fixture movement and maintain control of two dimensional planes via the strut system (elevation plane and one lateral plane). This was a very collaborative process. We would have to wait for the ceiling to go up, then individually take multiple panels down to adjust our fixture boxes to match the ceiling, then thread our fixtures through the ceiling to their applicable mounting box to achieve the great looking final product.
With the knowledge of the construction of the ceiling, we knew that serviceability of light fixtures in the future could be an issue. Although the ceiling system is considered accessible, we preplanned to make serviceability for the end user as easy as possible. We did this by locating and installing LED drivers and lighting control devices remotely from their fixture locations. By doing so, access above the wood acoustic ceiling would not be required to replace or troubleshoot these devices in the future.
We proposed and installed a fully operational Lutron Vive lighting control system. This is one of the newest and most user-friendly lighting control products available on the market. The system is wireless from the switch (control) location to the controlled lights. This setup saves time and money by not having to rough-in, pull wire, and wire devices at every control location. It also provides the end-user with the flexibility to relocate the control location with minimal expense after the fact if they want to change the current location. This system also gives the end-user onsite control from a phone or tablet to all loads in the space. In addition, if needed, the end user can log on remotely and provide control via the internet while not onsite.
Stemming from our experience in restaurants, we proposed and installed USB outlets under the bar and throughout the lounge area. We concealed these outlets so as to not distract from the overall design concept, and were still able to provide customers with mobile device charging capabilities. Similarly, we strategically placed and concealed outlets throughout the entire space for afterhours cleaning purposes.
Prefabrication played a large part in our branch lighting rough-in and fixture installation. We were able to capture over 270 individual unit builds on this project. This consisted of fixture assembly (assembling the fixture and setting exact pendant lengths from field-provided dimensions) and box rough-in assembly that was pre-wired for easy installation. This calculated out to be approximately 38% of our total fixture package assembly and installation. These assemblies were built offsite, efficiently, effectively and in a controlled environment and then delivered to the site as needed avoiding the potential of damage to fixtures being stored onsite in a small space.
The most challenging period of this project was approximately two-thirds of the way through - we had to switch site field leaders. The project was delayed due to the ceiling being finished with the incorrect color. This delayed the project by 4 weeks and had a cascading effect on our other projects.
I could not have asked for a better transition. With great documentation and research already complete, the transition was very smooth considering the level of detail on the project. With the complexities of this project already being mapped out by the original lead, Joe Shaw, Patrick Houghton was able to take over the project with minimal learning curve and was able to lean on the apprentice Ryan Chaney who stayed on the project during the transition.
In closing, this project was a great success due to the level of detail and diligence from our field personnel as well as great coordination from Dovetail – the general contractor. With their leadership, the team of specialty trade contractors worked seamlessly in a tight space to produce an amazing end product. To celebrate our success, we took SME’s project team to the Cortina Café during their opening week to truly enjoy the fruits of their labors!
