x
Increasing economic impact in one of the nation’s most prominent institutions.
The National World War II Museum, named one of the top museums in the U.S. by Trip Advisor, engaged Impetus (formerly Palmisano) as the Design-Assist contractor to lead the new construction of the 9-story, 230-room Higgins Hotel & Conference Center located in New Orleans’ Warehouse District. The hotel —which includes 18,000-square-feet of meeting space—features a business center, lobby bar, rooftop bar, concierge lounge, administrative offices, restaurant with a private dining option, and a 1,200-square-foot fitness center.
This 177,334-square-foot space was completed in partnership with architecture firm, Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates, and interior designer, Kay Lang and Associates, whose design was inspired by World War II era Art Deco elements.
SIZE OF PROJECT
0 SF
GUESTROOMS
0
OWNER
World War II Theater Inc.
ARCHITECT
Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates
TYPE
New Construction
LOCATION
New Orleans, LA
INDUSTRY
Commercial, Hospitality
STATUS
Completed in 2019
Impetus utilized a combination of structural steel for the conference center and an Infinity Structural System, a light gauge metal structure, for the hotel portion. The materials were fabricated offsite which alleviated some challenges of building in a dense area with heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and multiple simultaneous construction projects. Once delivered to the site, the panels were installed via crane, followed by decking and shoring.
The schedule dictated two weeks per floor. In order to maintain progress, Impetus tracked production with each floor and maintained consistent communication with trade partners. The team implemented a Zero Defects policy to identify and correct issues within days instead of weeks. During daily walks, Superintendents utilized 360-degree cameras to monitor guestroom rough-in progress. Observation reports were utilized to track an manage critical items.
Impetus’ largest project to date
Utilized fully integrated BIM
A pioneering project with the Museum Hotel Sector
The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center’s name reflects the contributions of Andrew Higgins, who designed and built more than 20,000 boats in New Orleans used in World War II. The space, which features historic elements such as General Patton’s piano, pays homage to the many veterans who fought to defend our country’s freedom, including Wesley J. Palmisano’s grandfather, who founded W.J. Palmisano Contractors in 1950 following his return from World War II.
