IRVINE, Calif.—R.D. Olson Development broke ground on its latest hotel development, the 271-room, full-service Irvine Spectrum Marriott at 7905 Gateway in Irvine, Calif. Executives from R.D. Olson Development, Irvine Company, Joseph Martelli Real Estate Investments, Inc., project general contractor R.D. Olson Construction, project architect WATG, and Marriott International joined civic leaders including Irvine Mayor Steven Choi at the ceremonial groundbreaking.
Located next to the Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum, which opened in 2014 and was developed by R.D. Olson in partnership with Joseph Martelli Real Estate Investments, Irvine Spectrum Marriott represents the first ground-up construction project in the nation featuring Marriott’s new millennial-focused design elements. R.D. Olson Construction plans to complete construction in summer of 2017.
“We are proud to launch the first full-service hotel project in Irvine in more than a decade,” said Bob Olson, founder and CEO of R.D. Olson Development. “With its rooftop lounge and bar, high-end amenities, and Marriott’s excellent service, Irvine Spectrum Marriott will provide a unique hotel experience that has not yet been offered in Irvine.”
As is customary for all R.D. Olson Development hotels, Irvine Spectrum Marriott is designed around a theme that pays tribute to the local area, in this case the iconic Irvine Ranch. The interior design celebrates the rich history of the Irvine Ranch through design elements, as well as food and beverage selections. The hotel’s full-service restaurant will feature locally-sourced options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The 15-story, 206,332-square-foot hotel is designed with a room mix that includes 50 suites with full kitchens, 121 king beds, and 100 double queen bed configurations. The room mix caters equally well to weekday business guests and weekend leisure and group travelers. Guest rooms will offer views of Saddleback Mountain, Laguna Canyon, or Spectrum Center.
Guestrooms include technology features at the forefront of hotel design, including Wi-Fi, big screen TVs with full connectivity, and the ability to stream Netflix and Hulu without charge, convenience plugs, iPhone/iPod docking stations, and more.
The new Irvine Spectrum Marriott will offer a variety of event and pre-function spaces to accommodate the needs of guests, as well as local businesses. A large rooftop lounge, featuring a full-service bar, offers unobstructed views of the Irvine Spectrum. The hotel will also feature more than 13,000 square feet of meeting and pre-function space, including a large event lawn. Both the rooftop lounge and event lawn are well-suited for corporate events, parties, and weddings.
Public area amenities include an expansive pool and spa, complete with outdoor fire pits and fireplaces. A state-of-the-art, two-story, 2,000-square-foot fitness center is equipped with CrossFit-style equipment. Additional amenities include Marriott’s private lounge, M Club, for Marriott Elite members.
“Today’s hotel guests are seeking a full experience that enhances their time visiting the surrounding area,” said Bill Wilhelm, president of R.D. Olson Construction. “We are proud to bring a full-service hotel to the Irvine Spectrum, an area that has been born out of a keen understanding of how people like to work and play.”
Located on a 4.84-acre parcel on Gateway between Alton Parkway and Spectrum Center Drive, the hotel is in the heart of the Irvine Spectrum and is easily reached via the San Diego (I-405) Freeway at Irvine Center Drive, Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway at Alton Parkway and Laguna Canyon Road (SR-133). Laguna Beach and Newport Beach are close by, as is John Wayne Airport, University of California, Irvine, and Disneyland.
The $120 million Irvine Spectrum Marriott will serve the growing demand for lodging regionally and from the 5,000-acre Irvine Spectrum, home to a 24 million-square-foot office and industrial market.
Irvine Spectrum Marriott was designed by the renowned international architecture firm WATG, specialists in hospitality design. The Irvine office of WATG is recognized for its design of numerous Orange County hotels, including the Ritz Carlton, Hyatt Huntington, Hilton Huntington, and Marriott Newport Coast. WATG served as the partner on R.D. Olson’s other recent development at the Irvine Spectrum, the Courtyard by Marriott Irvine Spectrum.
Monogram will be performing interior architecture for the hotel, and Steven Langford Architects will perform interior architecture and design for the hotel’s on-site restaurant and rooftop terrace.
