Suzie Hall, founder and president, The Cornerstone Collective.
Group also signs six new design projects and launches multiple initiatives during Pandemic.
BOISE, IDAHO – Officials of The Cornerstone Collective announced a record year of growth as it continues to expand further into the hospitality space. 2020 highlights include two completed hotel openings, two completed hotel renovations, as well as providing design & procurement services for an additional four hotels. While multiple hotel development projects were delayed, Cornerstone also signed six new design projects. Additionally, Cornerstone launched new initiatives and rebranded itself to meet the demands of the industry in the pandemic.
“To say 2020 brought with it a number of surprises and challenges likely is the understatement of a lifetime,” said Suzie Hall, founder and president, The Cornerstone Collective. “However, we have been able to work with hoteliers throughout the pandemic, resulting in both completed projects and often a new way of approaching our business in light of guest health and safety concerns. While COVID-19 has impacted the way people travel, it also has provided the industry with a brief ‘time out’ to review processes and procedures to make sure owner and guest demands are being met. We have streamlined our services to complete projects as quickly and cost-effectively as possible under the circumstances.”
Hotel openings
Cornerstone opened the 111-room Residence Inn Scottsdale Salt River at 5351 N. Pima Road in Ariz. in February of this year. The firm was tasked by ownership, Salt River Devco, to enhance the Salt River Pima – Maricopa Indian Community’s assets with the ground-up development hotel. The Residence Inn features many custom design elements and FFE throughout the property, including a custom “bird” ceiling treatment that mirrors a similar installation in the owner’s sister Courtyard by Marriott hotel next door. A river motif was designed as a symbol of the Salt River, flowing between the two hotels. A dynamic, geometric wallcovering adds just the right touch throughout the guestroom corridors. Following completion of the project, Cornerstone hosted a unique, virtual media tour to show off the asset.
The Collective also opened the 142-room AC Marriott Santa Rosa in Calif. Located at 300 Davis St., the modular project features a site-built ground floor with retail space and a restaurant. Cornerstone was contracted by Guerdon, LLC, to provide guestroom design and oversee procurement.
Hotels renovations
- Hilton Garden Inn – Seattle North / Everett: Located at 8401 Paine Field Blvd. in Mukilteo, Wash., the 102-guestroom hotel underwent complete interior design, FFE selections and procurement for the Public Spaces.
- Sleep Inn – Billings: Situated at 4904 Southgate Dr. in Mont., Cornerstone provided interior renovation, interior design and construction management for the 74-room property.
Design & Procurement Services
- The Gordon Hotel: At 555 Oak St. in Eugene, Ore., the property received FFE procurement and is expected to open in Q1 2021.
- The Gordon Lofts: Opened in Q4 2020, Cornerstone oversaw the procurement of FFE at this property at 500 Pearl St. in Eugene, Ore.
- Home2 Suites in Daly City, Calif.: This project by OTO Development currently is on-hold while ownership waits for the travel market to return.
- Rolling Hills Urban Wine Tasting: The new wine tasting venue in Idaho utilized Cornerstone for its design and procurement needs.
- Residence Inn Scottsdale Salt River: Cornerstone also provided design & procurement services for the aforementioned Residence Inn Scottsdale Salt River in Ariz. Cornerstone specified, detailed and procured many custom design and FFE elements throughout this property.
New Design Projects
Cornerstone currently is completing the interior design for five Hilton Garden Inn renovations in Calif. All of the properties are owned by Arbor Lodging. The Collective also almost has completed the design for the renovation of The Courtyard by Marriott Salt River.
Nexus Project
In direct response to the pandemic, Cornerstone launched the Nexus Project, a comprehensive, streamlined program for hotel brands, owners and operators with detailed recommendations to design their properties safely, intelligently and prudently. Utilizing criteria pulled from across the full spectrum of expert sources, including the CDC, EPA, WELL, LEED, IBC, Fitwel, Mindful Materials and medical specialists, the proprietary program provides non-biased, research-based solutions.
“With the world on the cusp of a vaccination, it remains vitally important for hotel owners and operators to respond to the very real health and safety concerns of guests,” Hall added. “Implementing meaningful precautions will help usher back the return of travel as guests regain a sense of safe travel. Signs point to massive pent-up demand, and the hotels with proper safety protocols and clear explanations will be among the first to rebound. From the hotel’s perspective, the Nexus Standards also provide cost-savings of 15 to 40 percent under less rigidly vetted options.”
The company’s pipeline remains full and is in early negotiations with five ground-up developments and four renovations. “As the vaccine makes its way into society, one of the first things people will want to do is travel again, whether that’s to see sorely missed family or simply get out of the house after so many months of sheltering-in-place. Already, we are experiencing a development and construction thaw from the earlier pandemic freeze, and we expect 2021 to be one of our busiest years yet.”
Coornerstone Collective
The Cornerstone Collective is a holistic and integrated full-service design and construction solution that accelerates and simplifies the hotel development process. The group brings proven leadership, exquisite talent, innovation and optimal resources together to create the ideal team for hospitality projects. This new, innovative approach keeps all elements of a project under one roof, advancing the process to ensure deadlines are met and strict spending budgets are kept. Meaningful results and an optimized ROI are just as important as creating unique, custom environments for guests.
Grounded in almost three decades of award-winning notable design, Cornerstone’s strategic vision through tactical solutions guarantee a best-in-class experience for our clients. It’s extensive experience in high-end hospitality, resort, master planning, LEED and healthcare markets positions the company to anticipate potential gaps and to capitalize on innovative opportunities.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
