JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga.—Jekyll Oceanfront Hotel LLC (JOFH) celebrated the topping off of the $41 million Westin Jekyll Island, a 200-room, convention-class, beachfront hotel scheduled for completion later this year as part of the Jekyll Island Beach Village project. JOFH is a joint venture comprised of several investors including Leon N. Weiner and Associates Inc., a real estate development company, and New Castle Hotels and Resorts, an independent third-party hotel manager, owner, and developer.
The five-story, U-shaped, beachfront hotel has been designed by LLW Architects of Memphis, Tenn., to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver specifications and minimize the hotel’s impact on the barrier island’s sensitive surroundings. The 8,750 cubic yards of concrete used in the construction were sourced from a plant in Brunswick, Ga., only 15 miles from the site. Construction supervisors report that 99.7 percent of the waste generated at the site has been recycled. Westin brand room design specifications also are 60 percent more sustainable than conventionally built guestrooms, providing a more healthful guest environment.
“Construction of The Westin Jekyll Island is moving along according to schedule thanks to the great work of our general contractor, Pinkerton and Laws of Georgia Inc., and an uneventful hurricane season” said Glenn Brooks, lead developer for Jekyll Oceanfront Hotel LLC. “We’ve only lost a few days to high winds, so we’re optimistic that construction will continue to proceed on time and on budget.”
To ensure the stability of the foundation’s 8,750 cubic yards of concrete, engineers pulled more than 17 million gallons of water from the site. Some 669 tons of rebar reinforce the concrete structure. Thus far, the project has involved 143,000 hours worked and upon completion, the hotel will be the one of the island’s largest private employer with 150 full-time workers.
The Westin Jekyll Island will feature 5,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, outdoor venues, a full-service restaurant with outdoor seating, and the brand’s signature WestinWORKOUT program.
