Stonebridge Marriott construction moving rapidly

Story by Robert Frank, WSU News
Photos by Robert Hubner, WSU Photo Services

PULLMAN, Wash. – A 131-room Marriott Residence Inn hotel is scheduled to open in April at Washington State University on NE Fairway Road, a stone’s throw from the campus golf course.  Construction began in June on the three-acre Generation 9 (newest Marriott design) facility. But don’t mistake it for just another hotel property. This one has Cougar paw marks all over it.

 

Cougar imprint

Navin Dimond, CEO, Stonerididge Companies
Dimond

In addition to providing WSU and Pullman with expanded lodging alternatives, the facility represents a passionate investment by WSU alumnus Navin Dimond. And, once completed, WSU students will play an integral role in helping operate the facility.

Third floor framing takes shape
Click photos to enlarge.

Dimond graduated cum laude in 1985 with bachelor’s degrees in business administration and construction management. He earned a master’s of business administration in real estate/construction management from the University of Denver.

Stonebridge Companies logo In 1991, Dimond founded Stonebridge Companies, a privately owned, hotel development and management company. It has developed more than 65 hotels, operated 75 and today runs more than 42 in the United States.

 

WSU hotel features

Moving up
Moving up

The WSU hotel’s rooms will consist of 56 studios with a king bed, 16 suites with separate king bedrooms and 59 suites with two queen beds. Amenities will include conversation areas equipped with electronic support, business center, dining area, indoor swimming pool and spa, outdoor patio and fire pit, exercise/fitness center, guest laundry, exterior sport court and three conference rooms comprising about 2,000 square feet.

Crane hoists materials to upper levels
Crane hoists materials to workers

Knud Svendsen, vice president of Stonebridge Companies marketing, describes the rooms as “mini apartments” designed for customers on extended stays. The hotel will partner with 5-10 WSU students who will work with Svendsen to develop the hotel sales and marketing plan. “I would envision that project will start in the fall and go into spring semester,” he said. “We will be there in November to determine scope and length of that project.” Although arrangements haven’t been finalized, he anticipates the hotel will employ students both full and part time, as is the pattern at other Stonebridge properties. In addition, classes on hotel management might occur on-site.

Keeping it all in plumb
Keeping it all in plumb

The hotel’s designer is Mind’s Eye Architecture, North Carolina. The general contractor is  Vandervert Construction, Spokane, Wash. “We hope to have our pre-opening team in place two-three months before opening the hotel,” said Svendsen.

 

Accidental hotel executive

Despite three degrees that point to his industry role, Dimond says he didn’t know exactly where they would lead when he was in college. “I knew I wanted to do something in construction, but I didn’t know if that was going to be build apartments, houses or commercial construction,” he said.

Floors and walls take shape
Floors, walls take shape

“I enjoyed the idea of creating something that would be there long after I was gone,” he said. “Today, I call myself an accidental hotel executive.”

 

Why Pullman?

With hotels in seven states – most in large metropolitan areas like Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas and Anchorage – the question is: Why Pullman? The obvious answer came first: WSU put out a request for proposals to major hotel developers, which included Stonebridge.

WSU Stoneridge hotel construction
Hotel reaches fourth story

The second motivator: It appeared to be a good business opportunity. And finally: Dimond is a Coug. Stonebridge submitted a bid and, as they say, the rest is history. From a purely business standpoint, Dimond said, “It’s a business we understand and there is a definite need for lodging at WSU.” But the WSU Pullman project is not entirely unique to Stonebridge Companies. “It’s a college town, a small town, and although it presents a specific clientele, the (management) metrics are similar to New York or Anchorage,” Dimond said. In this case, customers will have a “touchpoint with the university, whether it is a potential student and family visiting campus, alumni attending a football game or sporting event, a visiting athletic team or vendor,” he said. “As with all our hotels, we’re always catering to who our customer is and why they are coming.” Beyond the numbers, however, is an underlying Cougar spirit. “There is nothing better than returning to the WSU campus,” Dimond said. “It’s coming full circle. That’s the one thing that makes this project more special than any I’ve ever done. “I spent my college years there and have many fond memories,” he said.

 

Giving back

In addition to his role as president and CEO at Stonebridge, Dimond gives back to the industry on several levels. He serves on the Franchise Advisory Council for Hampton Inn Hotels by Hilton and on the Marriott’s Residence Inn Advisory Board. He is a board member of the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association (CH&LA) and served as chairman in 2003. In 2008, he was inducted into the CH&LA Hall of Fame. He serves on the WSU College of Engineering and Architecture Executive Leadership Board and Cornell University’s Dean’s Advisory Board for the School of Hotel Administration. In the general community, he is on the Foundation Board of the Metropolitan State College of Denver and is a board member of the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Metro Denver Sports Commission. He is a trustee of the Denver Kent School and of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

 

Campus property options

Mel Taylor, WSU executive director for real estate and local relations, said Stonebridge has two leases in place. It is leasing about 3 acres of a 7.5-acre site. The 99-year agreement provides for an escalating schedule of lease payments to WSU amounting to about $50,000 annually by the sixth year of the term. The agreement provides options for the company to continue leasing one or both parcels long term. Or, within 10 years, it could acquire the 3-acre parcel or acquire the entire 7.5 acre parcel and develop it further. Regardless of Stonebridge’s lease decision, WSU will have 131 more comfortable reasons for visitors to stay on campus next summer.