The project: Fidelity Hotel is the full adaptive re-use of the 103-year-old Baker Building (most recently housing Fidelity Mortgage) in downtown Cleveland, OH. The hotel features 97 guest rooms and suites, each with tailored amenities and custom-designed furniture. Amenities include a full-service restaurant, bar, event and meeting spaces, a private dining room, and fitness center.

Project goal: NuovoRE specializes in historic office-to-boutique hotel conversions and desired to create an atmosphere reflecting the uniqueness of Cleveland and maximizing the guest experience.

Design approach: IMEG worked with the owner, operator, project manager, contracting group, art installation designers, interior designers, lighting designer, and the architect to coordinate the complex spaces through managed meetings and documentation. Early involvement by all parties was a major key to success.

Challenge: Add modern MEP systems to a historic building while maintaining historic aesthetics and maximizing the front-of-house building program. Solution: IMEG collaborated with the architect and interior design team to creatively fit MEP systems in tight spaces while still maintaining system function and respecting the building design.

Challenge: Bring the high-rise building up to modern life safety standards. Solution: A new hoistway was added along with a stairwell pressurization system.

Challenge: Provide exhaust and makeup air for the kitchens located on the first floor and in the basement. Solution: Close coordination and creativity—including locating ductwork outside of the building—enabled the required exhaust and makeup air routing.

Design highlights: The HVAC system is an air-cooled, heat recovery type VRF system, bringing energy-efficient modern heating/cooling to the existing building. Dedicated outdoor air units maintain good indoor air quality throughout the building.

The outcome: Located in the most visited neighborhood in downtown Cleveland, the new Fidelity Hotel puts guests in the center of the historic district and within walking distance to shopping, dining, concerts, sporting events, and more. “Fidelity Hotel embodies our excitement to introduce a new level of hospitality in the cities we love,” says Bart Knaggs, CEO of New Waterloo, which manages the hotel. “With its thoughtful accommodations and inviting nature, Fidelity will elevate the visitor experience in Cleveland, while also acting as a vibrant hub of social and cultural activity to bring the community together for meetings, meals and celebrations.”