An international hotel company purchased the former Lake Erie Lodge Hotel in Euclid, Ohio with an aim towards a straightforward and easy refurbishment, with the hotel and adjoining restaurant maintaining their own current uses.

We performed a solid reconnaissance, photographing and measuring the 100,000 square foot facility and producing a set of measured drawings. We modeled key, character defining areas, including the entry, the boardroom, and the pool and recreation area. Based on this study, we were prepared to move forward with the design.

The owner worked on a shoestring, and intended to start the hotel with minimal initial investment, and to bring the project through the process of permit approval with minimal documentation. We were aware, from our prior engagement of the site, that there were numerous non-compliant elements of the building, especially the structure, which had significantly degraded. But the owner strove to work around some elements and ignore others. We parted company when he began performing demolition work without permits. The building remains condemned, but has not yet been demolished.