First opening its doors in 1927, the 117,448 SF historic Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach quickly became a renowned resort destination. The hotel fell into decades of disrepair following World War II and was auctioned off in 2012. Determined to restore the property back to its former glory, the new owners enlisted Lynch Mykins to reinforce the underlying structural system while preserving the hotel’s character-defining features.

We completed a comprehensive structural conditions survey to identify deficiencies and design repairs, while minimizing impact on the hotels’ available space. One of the more significant issues was related to a construction detail. The majority of exterior columns on this building were located directly behind the brick veneer with no moisture barrier. As a result, they were badly corroded. Repairs had to be accomplished from the inside only since the historic brick veneer needed to be preserved. Major interior renovations further revealed many additional structural discrepancies that had been concealed by finishes.

LM provided quick, cost effective solutions to issues discovered during construction. The team successfully navigated the strict regulations for historic building restoration and employed a series of inventive repair techniques to ensure the longevity of the Cavalier Hotel. This project also included a new freestanding 200 car parking facility and a small addition to the existing hotel building. The Cavalier Hotel is on the National Register of Historic Places.