Brandt House is a historic project and because of that, the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the National Parks Service provide oversight to ensure important history is maintained in the building. For example, there is an emphasis placed on maintaining historic line of sight (so our hallways will be the same width they were in the late 1880s), and materials used in our common spaces (hardwood floors). When we purchased Brandt House, we worked with an architect to ensure we preserved the historic components necessary while creating modern spaces for our guests.
Brandt House received official approvals from SHPO and the National Parks Service, which meant construction could begin! We are thrilled to welcome Frontier Construction from Manhattan, Kansas to our project. Frontier is a full service construction company with an interest in historic preservation. Nate Holloman, owner, is serving as our general contractor and has been helping us through each step of the process.
In mid-April the construction crew arrived on site. The first order of business was clearing out items left behind by previous owners. Some of these items (e.g. doors) will be saved and reused if possible. Next, there was a little demolition work to be done. Architectural plans called for room size changes and the check-in area has been reconfigured to fit the needs of our guests. The demo work was light and within just a few days reframing began.
Once framing wraps up, HVAC work will begin. Each room in the hotel will be equipped with its own thermostat and smart technologies to allow us to be as efficient as possible while providing guests with the ability to control the temperature in their rooms. In addition to heating/cooling, we will be venting dryers, the stove in the kitchen, and all of the nooks and crannies! While the crews are busy working onsite, we have started meeting with various vendors to supply the aesthetics and necessities of the hotels. First, we met with Ball Custom Kitchens to help us design the Guest Lounge and our bathroom vanities. We are looking forward to reviewing their plans in the coming weeks!