Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Technology Center
Philadelphia, PA
Fast Facts
- Client: Liberty Property Trust/Prologis
- Sector: Hospitality
- Architect: Foster + Partners, Kendall Heaton Associates Inc., Rottet Studio
- Timeline: Project started in 2014. Halyard joined team in 2018.
- Provided schedule comparison analysis
- Managed creation of punchlist and subsequent tracking
- Assisted with Design/CM coordination
- Provided quality control oversight
- Managed the closeout
Halyard's Role
As the project was well underway when Halyard was asked to join, we were able to bring fresh energy and eyes that allowed us to drive the project toward completion by evaluating schedules and removing any obstacles that interfered with the end goal. Liberty Property Trust first engaged Halyard to provide project management services and oversight, initially for the Hotel Schedule. But after a few months, they asked us to support both the Hotel and Core & Shell team in guiding the design and construction teams. Our oversight included:
- Engaging as a full-time partner with the developer’s PM team
- Schedule evaluation to confirm deadline milestones
- Quality Assurance & Quality Control leadership to ensue developer and hotel expectations were met
- Reviewing and recommending subcontractor payment
- Working on behalf of the developer, in conjunction with PIDC and 3rd party state consultant, to review and submit documentation for grant monies
- Serving as closeout organizer to guarantee smooth transition from development to operations
- Summarizing key issues and recommending resolutions for leadership
- Overall project cost analysis and presentation to leadership for final settlement
The Biggest Challenges
“We jumped into this project when it already had five years of history – more if you include the many years of planning,” said Mike Hanna, Halyard Senior Project Manager. “It’s a bit like being the person who arrives to the dance really late in the evening. You better be a really good dancer to make a great impression!”
And the Halyard team was more than happy to show off their “dance” skills on this exciting project.
“When the Halyard team joined the project, they were immediately able to help us with a wide range of critical technical issues the project was facing. Their incredible knowledge, agility, responsiveness, and ability to hold the reins steady kept the team moving forward in the right direction. They understand complex projects at all levels, and this deep expertise helped us overcome countless hurdles, whether we were sorting through high-end finish issues in the hotel or tough mechanical issues in the office spaces. Halyard serves as an adept liaison between the contractors / consultants and the client; they accurately assess the situation, clearly communicate what needs to happen, and then they help make it happen. Put simply, the Halyard team members are superstars in this industry.”
Serge Nalbantian, Ensemble Real Estate Solutions & Investments
“Here’s one of my favorite Halyard stories… I’ve known Barrett for years, and I knew that he and the Halyard team would bring the expertise and skill set we needed to the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center build. When I introduced Barrett and project manager Mike Hanna to our team for this massive project, we faced some initial reluctance about bringing a new player to the strategic table. But by the end of the project, our team was singing Halyard’s praises – and so appreciative of Mike’s stellar support that Halyard's scope of work increased to also assist on the Core and Shell! There are many reasons to appreciate the Halyard team, but I’ve always especially valued their unmatched attention to detail, from the timeline to the budget to all the moving pieces. They know exactly what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, and how it needs to happen. On the Four Seasons project, there were quite a few instances where the Halyard team understood each contractor’s contractual obligations more than the contractors! And while the Halyard team comprises some of the friendliest people I know, they are tenacious in the field for their clients – enabling peace of mind that the job is progressing exactly as it should, with every detail fully covered.”
George Ledwith, Exeter Property Group
