restaurant development + design is a user-driven resource for restaurant professionals charged with building new locations and remodeling existing units.
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DEL FRISCO'S things that I love about working with the company is that they appreciate good art," says Johnson. "We spent a lot of time with the CEO visiting various galler- ies and looked at probably 100 or more pieces of art before choosing the 25 or so that we installed." Design Challenges While most Double Eagle Steak Houses take six months to build, this location took an additional month because of the nature of the development. The restaurant covers the frst 3 foors and a below-grade level of the 10-story condo building. All in, the design and construction process took slightly more than a year and proved to be one of the more chal- lenging build outs yet due to the nature of the leased space. "The space was not specifcally designed for a restaurant — it was just a raw, empty shell so that was the biggest challenge," says Dave Lysowski, senior project manager at Shawmut. Though the space included HVAC, ducts and plumbing had to be carefully connected to reach the second-foor kitchen with- out disrupting the condominium lobby space below. "We had to carefully pick differ- ent areas in the lobby to open up the walls for plumbing and work overnight because people were walking in and out of the space all day. There was also an expensive piece of artwork hanging that they didn't want us to go near," says Lysowski, noting that the team was able to complete all the plumbing through a mail room ceiling in one night. "We also had to move the kitchen equipment around to make the system work and pick the right spots for the foor drains." "Putting a kitchen on the second foor is always challenging, but even more so here," says Lysowski. Operation- ally, dishes have to travel to the lower level prep kitchen and dishroom area, so the team installed a dumb waiter in addition to the service elevator. The project also proved to be more challenging than most because of its lo- cation in a LEED-certifed lifestyle cen- ter. "There were certain standards and guidelines we had to follow in regards to the building," says Martens. Although the restaurant was not obligated to fol- low strict guidelines for the kitchen, the team did incorporate energy-effcient elements and lighting throughout the space. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls over- looking the patio and plaza beyond bring plenty of natural light into the dining areas and expo kitchen. In the end, the challenges proved to be worth the cause. "With such a dramatic and attractive space, we knew there would be challenges to make it work, but we knew it would be a magnif- cent fnish," says Martens. + J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 5 • R E S T A U R A N T D E V E L O P M E N T + D E S I G N • 5 5