The intersection of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and prefabrication is proving an effective strategy for Midas Construction as it advances the construction of the $26.4 million AC Hotel St. Louis-Central West End in St. Louis, Missouri.
Like many hospitality projects, the 192-room hotel faced material supply and schedule challenges caused by the year-long pandemic. Midas’ solution entails orchestrating a highly coordinated off-site prefabrication of building components among several subcontractors, architects and engineers with BIM technology.
“BIM has been around for years, but we’ve adapted it to capitalize on the growing number of subcontractors that are growing their proficiencies in prefabrication,” noted Chris Shinkle, president, Midas Construction.
“With the pandemic causing supply chain delays and challenges to labor safety, prefabricating building components in controlled environments adapts well to material shortages while delivering greater precision and safety. But to unite the entire team in this effort and ensure exacting standards are met requires BIM.”
In developing the collaborative BIM/Prefab strategy, Midas is partnering with ENGWorks and the project design team, which includes HDA Architects, Alper Audi, DeLuca Plumbing, McClure Engineering, Eisen Group, and DLR Group. Midas Construction has been able to optimize the fabrication and installation for the nearly 95,000-square-foot hotel.
Eisen Group’s panel and truss system allows for mechanical, electric, plumbing, and fire protection trades to accelerate their schedule with prefabricated materials. DeLuca Plumbing has prefabricated all guestroom plumbing walls off-site while Streib Electric has organized its prefabrication of all guestroom components.
Midas Construction has also partnered with three of St Louis’ largest carpentry contractors – TJ Wies Contracting, Square UP Builders, and Waterhout Construction – to navigate supply chain delays through prefabrication.
Located at 215 York Ave., the AC Hotel is being developed by Concord Hospitality, Koplar Properties and Homebase Partners. The seven-story, European-inspired hotel will be one of the Central West End’s first hospitality projects in nearly 20 years. It is on track for completion in the fall of 2021.
