Austin Commercial

Hill┬ácountry living┬áKeith Regan learns how building the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa has made Austin Commercial keep a light environmental footprint while dealing with some unexpected challenges. ┬áWhen it was first conceived a decade ago, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa met with considerable skepticism from parts of the community in the area just northeast of San Antonio, Texas.  The 2,800-acre Cibolo Canyons property sits atop the main drinking water aquifer used to supply the city of 1.3 million people, so proposals to build a housing development, two golf courses and a sprawling resort on the site drew some flak. The project was actually shelved for a while before being revived more recently with new owners who developed a master plan for the parcel that took many of those environmental concerns into account. The result is a property that will feature 138,000 square feet of meeting space, two TPC golf courses and a sophisticated spa as well as a first-class resort hotel. Much of the propertyÔÇömore than 700 acresÔÇöhas been set aside as open space and wildlife habitat, including a large contiguous parcel established as a bird sanctuary to help protect the habitat of the golden-cheeked warbler. The new plan won approvals and was ready for construction starting in the summer of 2007, says Ramiro Casiano, one of project managers working for Austin Commercial on the job. Austin is serving as general contractor on nearly $300 million worth of building work on the site, including a convention center, the main hotel and spa and the golf course clubhouse. Work began with significant land clearing and utility work, no small feat since the parcel was a relatively remote one and all necessary utilities had to be laid into the site. Some unexpected challenges arose early in the project, with one of the wettest summers in recent memory hitting the area just as site preparation work began. ÔÇ£Many of the local projects were really devastated in terms of schedule when that happened,ÔÇØ Casiano notes, adding that the weather since then has enabled the lost time to be made up. Also unexpected was the difficulty of drilling piers to support the buildings, with the rock much tougher than expected to drill. ÔÇ£Piers that would normally take less than an hour to drill just a mile or two away were taking a full day to drill,ÔÇØ says Casiano. ÔÇ£At one point our driller had to change out the teeth on the drilling bit every 10 to 15 minutes; you can imagine the time that would add. That was a tough challenge, but one we ultimately overcame.ÔÇØAnother challenge involved the installation of the lengthy support trusses being used to create a massive indoor open space in the convention center building, Casiano notes. Because the site lies over the recharge zone for the Edwards Aquifer, special attention also had to be paid when blasting took place, with everyone from the project owners to the subcontractors supporting the goals of creating the project with as little disruption as possible to the surrounding environment.Despite the difficulties on the site, the project has a stellar safety record, says Casiano, something that reflects the larger philosophy at Austin. As an employee-owned company (Austin Commercial is part of the Austin Industries family of companies, which ranked as the top construction company in the Lone Star State in 2008, according to Texas Construction magazine) all workers are motivated to take safety seriously, and all feel empowered to speak up if they notice a potentially unsafe condition or situation. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre proud not only that weÔÇÖre on track to build the project on time but that we did that while also sending everyone home at the end of each day in the same condition they came to work in that morning.ÔÇØ The project began at the end of the construction boom and has since seen significant changes, with Austin benefiting from a strong supply of both direct labor and qualified subcontractors eager to pick up work and some relief from what were high fuel and commodities prices when the project got under way. With ownership seeking LEED certification, there are many sustainable elements being brought to bear on the project, with Austin Commercial and the design team using its extensive experience in building green on the job site. Green features will include a smart heating and cooling system that automatically adjusts when guests open the doors to their balconies or patio areas. The project remains on schedule, with the golf clubhouse expected to be the first building completed and the hotel and convention center to follow. A first quarter 2010 opening date is planned. Unique amenities of the resort will include a six-acre water park known as the Hill Country River Experience, where a manmade river winds through natural vegetation, moving from thrilling rapids to lazy waters. Once itÔÇÖs open for business, visitors will get a true Texas Hill Country experience when they visit, says Casiano, whether itÔÇÖs on the golf courses or in one of the buildings. ÔÇ£All the elements of the natural settingÔÇöthe limestone, the native woods, even the wrought ironÔÇöthe designers did a great job of highlighting those elements on the exterior of the buildings and letting that design flow into the lobby and guest rooms.ÔÇØ┬á There will be more than 1,000 guest rooms on the property, including 85 top-of-the-line suites. Moreover, the worldÔÇÖs best golfers will now be drawn to the San Antonio area. The golf coursesÔÇöincluding the AT&T Oaks course designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman along with PGA Tour player consultant Sergio Garcia, which offers golfers a rugged Hill Country experience, and the spectacular AT&T Canyons course designed by fellow World Golf Hall of Fame member Pete DyeÔÇöwill be operated by the PGA Tour. This really puts San Antonio on the map and on the national stage.  ÔÇô Editorial research by Alan Iodice