J/Brice Design International Launches Dallas Office

DALLAS, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- J/Brice Design International, Inc., one of the premier design firms in the country, recently opened a Dallas office to better serve its national clients and capitalize on the latest resurgence in hotel renovation business in the U.S.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120118/NE37631 )

J/Brice (www.jbricedesign.com) is a preferred design group for hotel brands that read like a Who's Who in hospitality. In the U.S., engagements extend from California and Illinois to Washington, DC, and on the East Coast from Florida to Maine. Since its founding in 1989, J/Brice has been awarded Best Upscale Design of The Year, IHG Renovation of the Year, Most Ambient Hotel Lobby, and Best Luxury Suite among others. J/Brice was instrumental in the Wyndham Boston-Andover Hotel winning the Property of the Year Award, one of several for this Hostmark-managed property in 2011.

Refinement not Renovation 

"Hotel renovations that remained flat following the 2008 financial collapse are coming back strong throughout the nation," said David Messersmith, vice president and head of the J/Brice Dallas operation. The Texas native and long-time Dallas resident emphasized, "We approach every hotel renovation as a hotel refinement."  Sample images at: http://yousend.it/x67Zxu

Messersmith, whose hospitality industry experience includes international and US projects for every major flag explains, "Instead of simply renovating with paint, fixtures and fabrics, J/Brice works with hotel owners to refine, redefine and rebrand their properties. The goal is to make the hotel relevant to the contemporary traveler and in so doing increase profitability and value. Properties we have refined function more efficiently, deliver a more memorable guest experience and build equity for both the investor and the flag." 

He continued, "When we renovated the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza we were awarded Continental's Hotel Renovation-of-the-Year for giving the property an entirely new functionality. We made the public space more welcoming by including places for business travelers to use their iPads and laptops, grab a coffee or cocktail and socialize. We got them out of their rooms!"

Tony Miu, general manager, termed the result, "Transformational." adding, "The J/Brice Design team gave the lobby spaces character in what used to be a big empty, pass-through void. They created different levels to define the space and make it more comfortable and functional for our guests. J/Brice added a water feature as a focal point as well. People now linger. The space is beautiful."

Said Messersmith, "The design is exciting, articulated and memorable, broadening its appeal to include tourism and social events as well as business. This is typical. When we refine a hotel, the property becomes more profitable and the real estate value increases. This is far superior to adopting a cookie cutter design that does little to reshape the property in ways that increase revenue."

A Business Hotel Redefined

Messersmith pointed to The New York Helmsley. The Helmsley was based on a 1980s notion of space planning. This, once cutting edge, business hotel had become shopworn. "In particular, the hotel bar was isolated and underutilized. We moved it out front – from the hotel's recesses to a more accessible and visible location at street level. Passersby were soon drawn in. It became a local in-place to see and be seen, generating immediate revenue and referral business. The occupancy rate and events business increased and soon after the completion of our refinement, Host Marriott purchased the property at significantly over asking price."

In many cases, J/Brice shows owners how to increase function space to capitalize on business and social gatherings without exceeding the budget for a standard renovation. In other cases a property may have been in a business district that has shifted away and needs to be redefined for the tourism and events market, according to Messersmith, an authority on marketing and lecturer at Texas A&M University.

"Our objective is to deliver on the client's vision, help the client realize opportunities for refinement when they are presented, and to deliver on our promise," said Messersmith adding, "We are able to give the property a level of distinction while meeting the chain's standards. As a preferred vendor for most of the major chains, we are often granted design flexibilities not afforded to other design firms.  Additionally, J/Brice's buying power allows us to compete favorably on price as well, delivering a high end product while meeting budget constraints."

Notably, J/Brice prides itself on relating properties to their location or setting. "We strive to incorporate geographic and cultural sensitivities into even modest hotels. In one case, we retained a California artist to create original artwork for a hotel we renovated in the Sonoma Valley and developed a color scheme to emphasize the hotel's Arts & Crafts architecture. The property fits into the local environment while exceeding guest expectations. Like many of the properties we refine, it has personality and distinctiveness that results in return business.

David Messersmith may be contacted at 214.693.8538 or email [email protected].

About J/Brice Design International

Founded in 1989 by leading hospitality design authority, Jeffrey Ornstein, J/Brice Design International now ranks as one of the top ten design firms in the New York / New England region and has twice been cited as one of the ten fastest growing design firms in the US - once in 2000 and once in 2008 by Interior Design Magazine. J/Brice has won awards in every major category including Best Upscale Design of the Year, Renovation of the Year, Most Ambient Hotel Lobby and Best Luxury Suite, Best Guestroom, and Hotel of the Year. Its award winning staff has worked on over 200 hotel and restaurant projects. The firm is recognized for meeting regional and cultural imperatives while working within operational and brand parameters.

J/Brice is the preferred design group for Hilton Hotels: All Full Service Hiltons, Doubletree Hotel / Guest Suites, and Hampton Inn properties, Marriott International: All Full service Properties, Renaissance, and Courtyard properties, Starwood: All Full Service Sheraton, Westin, and 4-Points properties, Intercontinental Hotel Group: All full service Intercontinental Hotels, Crown Plaza, Holiday Inns Worldwide, Trump International Beach Resorts, Kempinski Hotels and Spas, Wyndham Properties, and Best Western.

SOURCE J/Brice Design International