The world’s tallest modular hotel is on track to be stacked with 168 prefabricated and pre-furnished guestrooms this Autumn in New York City.
Once erected over a 90-day period, the 360-foot-tall tower will represent a milestone for Marriott‘s ongoing initiative to encourage hotel developers in North America to embrace modular for new construction projects.
To be topped with a modular roof and modular rooftop bar, the world’s tallest modular hotel is expected to open in late 2020 as the AC Hotel New York NoMad.
“In North America, the construction process hasn’t changed significantly in 150 years and it’s ripe for innovation,” explains Eric Jacobs, Marriott International, Chief Development Officer, North America, Select and Extended Stay Brands.
“The world’s tallest modular hotel in one of the world’s greatest destinations will act as a game-changing symbol to ignite even greater interest in modular among the real estate and lending industries.”
“This is the moment where modular construction takes center stage,” adds Danny Forster, a leading modular building advocate whose firm, Danny Forster & Architecture, designed the project.
“This hotel takes every advantage of off-site manufacturing, as you might expect. But it does so in a way that defies expectation. We wanted to demonstrate that modular building can do more than just harness the efficiencies of the factory. It can produce a graceful and iconic tower. And yes, it can do so at the rate of an entire floor a day.”
Marriott began researching modular construction in 2014 to offset lengthening hotel construction times – a trend attributed to the nation’s building boom and resulting labor shortages.
Since 2011, Marriott has seen the average time to build and open a hotel in North America increase by as much 50 percent, depending on factors such as location and size of property.
