SM&W Contribution
Shen Milsom & Wilke (SM&W) provided consulting expertise for audiovisual, information technology infrastructure, security, and distributed antennae systems for the new Hard Rock Hotel in Manhattan’s Times Square. Built to a 4-Star standard, the reinforced concrete structure with reflective floor-to-ceiling windows features 446 rooms, two restaurants, a spa, a fitness room, a rooftop bar/lounge, a performance studio, and a speakeasy-inspired entertainment venue.
SM&W specifically provided audiovisual support to the main lobby, meeting rooms, elevator lobbies, guestrooms, restaurants, and bars, including the speakeasy-inspired entertainment venue. SM&W’s IT design supported multiple fronts and back-of-house areas. Due to the notoriously small telecom rooms often found in Manhattan hotels, our designer took special care and attention to design all elements for compact accommodation. This required a high level of coordination between all the trades involved in the technology and design of these small spaces.
Our security team provided design expertise to all areas and levels of access control, panic buttons, CCTV, and alarms. During construction, SM&W performed periodic site visits to ensure the contractors were installing equipment per the design drawings and problem-solve any challenges that arose in the field. The final design delivered on the owner’s overall requirements and is now a staple in Times Square.