Project Description
Project Name: Downtown Chicago Hotel
Location: 1 West Wacker, Chicago, IL
Completion Date: Spring 2021
Architect: N/A
Engineer: AMS Industries, Inc.
Contractor: AMS Industries, Inc.
Project Manager: Randall Byerley / Tyler Corey
Project Type: Flood Damage MEP/FP Replacement/Restoration
Trades: Mechanical Piping, Sheet Metal & Electrical
Project Description: A hotel located in the heart of downtown Chicago is equipped with a central mechanical system that is primarily located in a sub-basement that is below the level of lower Wacker. In the spring of 2020, many buildings along the Chicago River were flooded during heavy rains. Since many of the central MEP system for this building are located below the river, these systems were nearly completely submerged. AMS was called upon due to our expertise with retrofit and disaster recovery to join the team that would ultimately return the building to full operation.
In order to quickly return the hotel to full operation, AMS immediately expedited and replaced the domestic water booster system, certain other plumbing systems, provided temporary/permanent electrical switchgear restoration/replacement, replaced damaged DDC control systems, replaced central domestic water heating plant and completed a large scale renovation for ten air handling systems. Since the buildings two centrifugal chillers were not available for at least sixteen weeks, AMS installed a 1000 ton rental chiller that was set up on lower Wacker and reconfigured the piping of the central cooling plant to allow the rental chillers to carry the buildings cooling load for the summer of 2021. AMS also provided and installed a temporary fire pump system to ensure that the hotel was protected and could be safely occupied.
Once the hotel was able to operate for the warmer months, our focus turned to preparing the facility for winter operations. The central heating boilers were completely overhauled, new controls and burners were provided and all needed heating water pumps were replaced.
Once the hotel achieved stable and safe winter operation, AMS replaced the buildings centrifugal chillers, cooling plant controls, pumping system, refrigeration systems and other MEP systems that were not needed to achieve occupancy.
All work was completed as design/build and AMS was able to achieve completion of each phase on or before the dates required by owner.
