Working through theAssociated Builders & Contractors 17 years ago, Richard Waas, founder ofWaas Construction, Inc. received a call from ABC President Bill Shrove who told him his company had been recommended for a major j
ob on Miami Beach. After that was completed, Waas came in contact with the Simon Corporation, which was owned by former Treasury Secretary William Simon. That led to a further contact with Roger Everingham, currently Vice President of the Colony Hotel. Since that time, Roger Everingham and Waas Construction have orchestrated numerous renovations on the upscale hotel tiles in Palm Beach.
This year marks their 15th project with the hotel. Waas finished a renovation started two years ago in which all bathrooms in guest rooms were redone. Quarters were demolished and revamped. This year they finished bathrooms on the second and fifth floors and renovated two of the three penthouses. Next they renovated the remaining three villas. D&B Tile was used throughout all the renovations most recently with white marble and black Absolute granite.
Waas has worked consi
stently with Carlton Varney from Dorothy
Draper Assoc. out of New York. They provided specs and Waas provided the hotel with samples. The hotel had budget problems this year so Waas Construction value engineereda close match and saved them some money. Professional Flooring Contractors was the contractor on the job for the past three years.
According to Waas Construction founder Richard Waas, the Colony's regular bookings have been excellent following the renovations. One of the penthouses is rented for an entire year. The villas are rented month to month. Rack rates have increased substantially following the renovations and starting in January, rooms will be offered starting at $500 a night.
Waas Construction, Inc. was founded in April 1973. They are commercial contractors and specialize in hospitality, hotels, restaurants, retail, religious, medical facilities, movie theaters and warehouses.
The company may be best known for appearing in an article in Engineering News Record when they revamped the old Burdines Building at Mayfair in Coconut Grove. They cut 14,000 square feet of roof with 52 columns, jacked the roof up 13 feet in the air and repoured in between after welding all steel. That had never been done and likely will never be done again.