While original plans
for the Hampton Inn & Suites in Lake George, NY, called for cultured stone,
the architects at Bounds and Gillespie, PLLC ultimately discovered a locally
quarried natural thin stone veneer product. The material, American granite, was
quarried and produced by Champlain Stone, Ltd. of Warrensburg, NY.
As a specialist in design for hotel chains, the
architects at Bounds and Gillespie, PLLC are continually searching for upscale
design solutions that will fit within a project’s given budget. The firm’s work
on the Hampton Inn & Suites in Lake
George, NY, was a
prime example of this, as it brought in local thin stone veneer for both
interior and exterior applications.
The American granite was used for a range of elements
at the main entrance, including a feature wall, columns and peers.
Bounds and Gillespie has worked with a range of hotel
chains, and it has become a preferred vendor of Hilton, Marriott, Choice,
Microtel and Intercontinental Hotels. When approaching a design, the firm
stresses, “ease of building maintenance, future utility costs, road presence
and guest satisfaction” -- goals that were enhanced through the use of stone.
In the original plan, the specifications called for cultured stone on the
veneer and interior fireplace and bar. However, when the architects discovered
that natural stone was available in a thin veneer application, they conducted
further research. Ultimately, this led them to Champlain Stone, Ltd. of
Warrensburg, NY, a producer of local stone materials that it quarries
throughout the region.
A large-scale, stone-clad fireplace in the main lobby
provides a signature element and a gathering space inside the hotel’s public
area.
The material selected was American granite, which is
quarried at Champlain Stone’s Fort Ann quarry -- a short drive from the site of
the hotel. The use of thin granite veneer begins at the main entrance to the
hotel, where it was used for a feature wall as well as column cladding and
several stone “piers.” Inside the facility, the stone was used to clad a
large-scale fireplace in the main lobby, providing a signature element and a
gathering space inside the hotel’s public area. American granite was also used
to clad the facing of the hotel’s bar area, adding a rustic, yet comfortable
aesthetic. In all of these applications, the stone is complemented by rich
woodwork, completing the overall design objective.
American granite was also used to clad the facing of
the hotel’s bar area, adding a rustic, yet comfortable aesthetic.
In all, the project features 1,200 square feet of thin
sawn ashlar American granite, and 100 lineal feet of thin sawn ashlar granite
corners. The contractor for the project was British American Development of
Latham, NY, and the masons quoted an installation rate for the natural stone at
the same price as they did for the cultured stone product. “The owner paid a
little more for the natural stone thin veneer to get the desired color and cut,
but the budget held,” stated Champlain Stone.
Sidebar: Hampton Inn & Suites
Lake George, New
York
Architect: Bounds and Gillespie,
PLLC, Memphis, TN
Stone Quarrier/Producer: Champlain Stone,
Ltd., Warrensburg, NY
Contractor: British American
Development, Latham, NY
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