A Technically Demanding Wine Tower for Foxwoods’ Anchor Restaurant
Ceiling …^
built to support & pale chihuly chandelier
Unit Has Refrigeration …^
above ceiling to sustain requited temperatures for wine storage
Custom Built Wine Racks…^
Harmonic offers a variety of options
2 Library Ladders …^
For lamp & high reach bottles
David Burke Prime Seeks a Wine Storage System Worthy of the Experience
The Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut — one of the largest in the U.S. — had an ambitious vision for a wine tower that would be not only a multi-story visual centerpiece for the David Burke Prime luxury steakhouse, but visible from other parts of the property, as well.
When Hurricane Katrina forced resorts and hotels across the Southern U.S. to rebuild commercial kitchen and dining spaces that were damaged by floodwater, word got around quickly that the Harmonic Wine Displays team was one of the few, if not the only, vendor equally capable in stainless steel doors and frames, walk-in coolers and freezers.
Word of mouth got Harmonic Wine Displays, a subsidiary of EmJac Industries, invited to an all-hands meeting at the Foxwoods, where the more than 20 assembled stakeholders and vendors got to walk through the minutely detailed 3D wine tower schematic of a build that Harmonic Wine Displays founder, David Dorta, had prepared for the meeting.
After some clarification and consulting on the base material and structure, Harmonic Wine Displays won the job on the spot.
When Hurricane Katrina forced resorts and hotels across the Southern U.S. to rebuild commercial kitchen and dining spaces that were damaged by floodwater, word got around quickly that the Harmonic Wine Displays team was one of the few, if not the only, vendor equally capable in stainless steel doors and frames, walk-in coolers and freezers.
Word of mouth got Harmonic Wine Displays, a subsidiary of EmJac Industries, invited to an all-hands meeting at the Foxwoods, where the more than 20 assembled stakeholders and vendors got to walk through the minutely detailed 3D wine tower schematic of a build that Harmonic Wine Displays founder, David Dorta, had prepared for the meeting.
After some clarification and consulting on the base material and structure, Harmonic Wine Displays won the job on the spot.
Integrating an Ambitious Wine Tower Design into a Complex Jobsite
With the restaurant under construction in 2008, Harmonic Wine Displays collaborated with Foxwoods' designer, architect and facility teams to solve the complex logistics of bringing the vision to life.
The design and approval phase required Harmonic Wine Displays to understand every part of the building — all the way to coordinating with the team that was building the parking garage, as its floor would ultimately support the weight of a multi-floor custom frame with glass, environmental control elements, thousands of bottles — and an original Dale Chihuly glass chandelier suspended from the top. All in all, the structure would weigh more than 70,000 lbs. when loaded.
The design and approval phase required Harmonic Wine Displays to understand every part of the building — all the way to coordinating with the team that was building the parking garage, as its floor would ultimately support the weight of a multi-floor custom frame with glass, environmental control elements, thousands of bottles — and an original Dale Chihuly glass chandelier suspended from the top. All in all, the structure would weigh more than 70,000 lbs. when loaded.
Project Highlights:
Each corner of the octagonal, multi-story frame required custom-fabricated heavy-gauge 25' poles with 45-degree corners. This skeleton had to support wine racks, the chandelier, a curtain wall, lighting, an insulated ceiling and the return air plenum. Each pole had to be maneuvered through doors, down corridors and put in place with a crane, often after-hours so as not to interfere with other crews’ work.
The return air plenum was built into the vertical structural corners. The cold air transferred out from the bottom. The ceiling was structurally designed to hold the weight of the refrigeration system, hidden above from view and the custom chandelier. The framing was designed with a thermal break to separate the cold air from the outside.
Thirty four pieces of insulated glass (including the door) were installed to keep the cold air in and prevent fogging. All anchoring was concealed to provide an aesthetically pleasing look, including the metal finish, which was custom powder coated to the exact color specified by the architect.
A Breathtaking Asset for David Burke Prime and Foxwoods
All three phases of the project — drawing/review/approval, manufacturing and installation — were completed within 7 months. (Installation was achieved in 10 days to minimize disruption to the master timeline for the property).
The final result was three stories tall (32’-8-1/2” high and 14-5” feet wide), designed for optimal air circulation, temperature control, with a fire suppression system, custom lighting, custom powder coating and a library ladder so staff could access higher shelves.
Our team enabled David Burke Prime to achieve its vision of a wine tower that not only captivates guests, but is technically sound and built to enhance and protect their extensive wine list.
The final result was three stories tall (32’-8-1/2” high and 14-5” feet wide), designed for optimal air circulation, temperature control, with a fire suppression system, custom lighting, custom powder coating and a library ladder so staff could access higher shelves.
Our team enabled David Burke Prime to achieve its vision of a wine tower that not only captivates guests, but is technically sound and built to enhance and protect their extensive wine list.
