George Mason University Constructs Hotel and Conference Center

George Mason University has awarded a $53.6 million contract to Concord Eastridge and Balfour Beatty Construction to build a 170,800-sf hotel and conference center in Fairfax, Va. The Mason Inn will include 20,000-sf of conference facilities integrated with a 149-room hotel. The facility will also include 11 meeting rooms, a ballroom, dining, and an 80-space parking garage. Designed to maximize construction efficiency and minimize project cost, the structure of the facility will be built with prefabricated load-bearing wall panels made from metal studs, with a façade of metal panels, brick, and precast concrete. Construction will begin in fall of 2008 with completion slated for summer of 2010. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the facility. The project team includes Gensler, JCM Associates, JE Richards, Oncore Construction, Strittmatter, Henard Metal Fabricators, Infinity Structures, Thornton Tomasetti, and GHT Ltd.