home

student biography

building statistics

thesis abstract

technical assignments

thesis proposal

presentation

final report

reflection

senior thesis e-studio

Leland Curtis

L/E Option

Hotel Felix

111 West Huron St. Chicago

Building Statistics

Click here to view Building Statistics Part 1 Draft

Construction

                 The Chicago based architectural firm Levy and Klein originally built the Hotel Felix in 1926. 81 years later, in late September 2007, the Hotel Felix underwent a 28 million dollar renovation that repaired the façade, gutted the interior and reinforced several floors. As the General Contractor, Pepper Construction followed a Design-Bid-Build contract and oversaw the construction process all the way from groundbreaking on Sept 28, 2007 to completion in March 2009.

Electrical

                 Four service feeders enter the building through two separate service entrances on the Northeast and Southwest corners of the building. 2 service feeders supply the regular building power and emergency system power, a third supplies the restaurant and a fourth supplies the Verizon communication system. All switchboards, distribution panels, and panelboards are supplied with 208Y/120V, 3 phase, 4 wire power while most mechanical equipment is supplied with 240/120V power. A 2500A and a 1600A switchboard supply 7 distribution panels and 25 lighting panels ranging in size from125A to 1200A. A 33kVA emergency battery backup system can provide 4 hours of uninterrupted power.

Lighting

                 The existing lighting system delivers adequate taskplane illuminances while creating an appropriate mood for the various spaces in the Hotel. All fixtures are unobtrusively hidden or recessed into the ceiling to create a clean contemporary look. ASHRAE 90.1-2004 standards were met using the space by space method, which allows the lighting in the more prominent spaces, such as the lobby, to use more energy than allowed by the full building method.

                 General illumination in the lobby, conference room, bar and spa is provided by recessed halogen downlight fixtures. Recessed adjustable halogen accent lights highlight artwork and architectural elements. Corridors and support spaces are lit primarily by compact fluorescent downlights. LED cove fixtures decorate the lobby, bar and façade. Ceramic Metal Halide accent lights illuminate the façade and entrance canopy. All sources have a CCT around 3000K.

Mechanical

                 A 7500CFM rooftop AHU and an 8000CFM self-contained AHU in the basement distribute air to all floors via a variable air volume system. Four water source heat pumps ranging in size from 5 tons to ¼ ton, a 160 ton rooftop cooling tower and a 1950 MBH plate and frame heat exchanger support the system. Four 15 HP and two 5 HP pumps transfer the condenser water, heat pump loop and domestic hot water. Two 1100 MBH boilers supply the main building while a 620 MBH gas-fired heater unit supplies the basement laundry room. Electric baseboard heaters located below the lobby windows heat the entrance lobby.

Structural

                 A single-way, cast-in-place, reinforced concrete slab system is supported by 2’2” square reinforced concrete columns spaced along a typical 17’11” bay. All concrete is rated for a compressive strength of 4000 psi. Non-loadbearing exterior masonry walls provide additional lateral support. W21x44, W18x35, W14x26, W12x26, W12x22, W12x16, W10x12 and W8x18 steel joists reinforce the existing single-way concrete slab roof to allow for the additional weight of the new mechanical equipment. A continuous slab supports the 8800 lb. RTU.

Fire Protection

The emergency system has a Fire Command Center that includes a fire alarm control panel, fire alarm annunciator panel, fire pump/sprinkler status panel, one way voice panel, two way voice panel, fan status panel, door status panel and elevator status panel. This command center is located in the basement and operates all devices through two distribution panels located on the 4^th and 10^th floors. A single 100 Hp, 125 psi, 750 GPM fire pump supports the fire protection system. There is a smaller 2 Hp, 150 psi, 5 GPM jockey pump as well.

                 The fire pump is controlled by a Wye-Delta reduced voltage controller that uses a series MTS to switch between the main utility power and either the backup utility power or the battery backup system.

Transportation

                 Two passenger elevators and a service elevator travel between the basement and the penthouse. There are two exits in the lobby and vestibule that lead onto West Huron Street, an emergency exit into the alley along the west façade and two more exits from the restaurant onto Clark Street.

Telecommunications

                 A building-wide voice/data system is supported by several racks of Verizon equipment located in the MDF/IDF room in the penthouse. Data stations are positioned throughout the building to provide service to phone, computer, wireless router and AV equipment. The system complies with all TIA, EIA, ISO and IEC codes and standards. The system runs on 240/120V 3 phase, 4 wire power. The security system consists of several ceiling mounted cameras in the corridors, elevator landings, entrances and main lobby. They are controlled at the reception desk.