The Orleans Hotel represents a unique time and place in the history of California and Sacramento. Once owned by a significant Sacramento power broker and Mayor, the hotel saw many political deals brokered, fortunes created and reputations made. This new project gives us the opportunity to renew the awareness of many things in our history; people, culture, Sacramento’s development history and building techniques and technologies. The project represents a unique opportunity to present the historic façade of the building and blend it with current building technologies and comforts. It partly has been a trip back into time, learning many things about the early years of Sacramento, against the backdrop of 19th century construction methods. It has taken research, experience and imagination to complete the design and detailing of the historic elements as the only visual documentation of the building is an 1850’s lithograph of an artists rendering from the period. A larger challenge has been to design a completely modern structure 'fitted' in a slot between two historical buildings of the same era, while complying with the building requirements of today’s standards. The completion of this project will fill a significant “hole” not only in a street façade but in our appreciation of Sacramento’s’ history and original community
