CoolSprings Galleria Project with Locally-Source Tennesse Tile
CBL Properties, owners of the CoolSprings Galleria shopping mall, a massive complex located in Franklin, Tenn., were planning to renovate the 1.1 million ft. sq. (102,193 sq. m.) facility, which houses a total of 165 tenants. Areas to be remodeled included a 500-seat Oasis Court, pathways and bathrooms encompassing more than 147,000 sq. ft. (13,656 sq. m.) of space.
The project was a two-level mall renovation highlighted by a full demolition of both upper and lower levels, all receiving new tile. The project used two different subcontractors – both NTCA Five Star Contractors – David Allen Company (DAC) for level two and Profast Commercial Flooring on level one.
Challenge
So what was the project’s main dilemma? How to get the job done in a fast and comprehensive fashion without interfering with the mall’s huge amount of foot traffic, a.k.a., thousands of daily shoppers. The solution was a plan to do the bulk of work at night, using highly skilled teams of installers and craftspeople to bring the ambitious project to completion.
“The unique challenge for the CoolSprings Galleria project was how quickly the work that was taking place throughout the night had to be turned around for typical mall use,” noted Mark Brooks, technical services manager, “CoolSprings Galleria has many dedicated mall walkers and, in order to accommodate them,” he explained, “the mall opens its doors at 6:30 a.m. This means an extremely short timeline to complete work during the night.”
Installation After Hours and on Tight Deadlines
Harold Waid, division manager, Mid-South region for DAC, agreed with Brooks, noting that while there were many challenges during the project, the main one was “installing the project after hours in a relatively short time frame with no disruption to the mall tenants or shoppers, with all work areas being required to be open to mall traffic the next morning.”
To accomplish this, he recalled, all tile and setting materials were brought in from an outside storage area each night. “We would prep the floor area and install crack isolation membrane, perform the layout and install tile using a rapid-set thinset, clean the installed tile and work area, prep the edge of the installed tile with transition strips, and remove any leftover material back to the storage area.”
Mall Flooring Installed Quickly and Right
Kevin Killian, president of PROFAST Commercial Flooring, said that on-site project manager Jimmy Roue and head superintendent Tyler Lekki were confident that the company’s experience and expertise would allow them to “finish the installation ahead of schedule.” Working with LATICRETE made the process run smoothly.
“The LATICRETE materials were always delivered on time and were very easy to work with,” he said. “The LATICRETE support team checked in with our field team on a regular basis to see if everything was working properly. This was a very successful project for us and I believe all parties involved – including the owner – are pleased with the finished product.”
Types of Flooring Used for the Mall
Crossville, Inc., another major player in the remodel, provided its Shades porcelain tile collection in honed Frost, unpolished Mist, Ash, and Thunder, in 6” X 24” (150 mm x 600 mm) and 12” X 24” (300 mm x 600 mm) formats, as well as its Laminam by Crossville porcelain tile wall panels.
To facilitate the successful installation of the Crossville porcelain tile, LATICRETE products were used across the installation. Said Brooks, “The LATICRETE products that were used on the project were all fast-setting in order to return the main mall areas back to service in a timely manner.”
Outcome
The project, which began in April 2016, would be completed on time almost six months later on the eve of the holiday shopping season. Project designer Suzy McHenry of Omniplan gave some insight into the CoolSprings vision, noting, “In our design, we sought to express Franklin’s unique regional influences with a contemporary aesthetic that stays true to the area.
“Our design resolves authenticity with modern materials that elevate the shopping experience,” she added. “These finishes include stainless steel handrails, porcelain tile pattern from material manufactured in Tennessee, and quality stone.
“We went with a much darker floor than our client has ever used on other properties,” McHenry noted. “Rather than using a beige tone, we opted for the cool palette of the grays with a pop of white.”
For the wet walls of the bathrooms, the design team utilized Laminam by Crossville for its clean look and durability, especially for the harsh and wet conditions of a public bathroom. The remaining bathroom walls feature Crossville’s Ready to Wear in unpolished Button Up with accents of Groove Glass in the grey Rumba tone.
Like McHenry, Corbett Drew, senior property manager, CBL, noted the project featured all things Tennessee. “Some may find it interesting that CBL’s headquarters, Crossville’s plant and CoolSprings Galleria are all separated by a couple hours’ drive time, making this floor bought, produced and placed in the state of Tennessee.”
