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Hacker Industries, Inc.

Ivy Tower Hotel & Residence
Minneapolis, MN, USA

Project Details

Location
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Project Year
2009

Situated in downtown Minneapolis, the historic Ivy Tower was restored in 2009 and turned into a stunning luxury hotel and condominium complex. Three buildings now make up the new, exclusive Ivy Tower & Residence. The original 1930’s neo-Gothic Ivy Tower and a new 19-story building comprise the hotel portion of the development. Adjacent is another, new, 25-story tower which houses 92 upscale condominiums. Developed by Jeff Laux and Greg Benson of the Ivy Tower Development Company, The Ivy Tower Hotel & Residence is a picture of opulence and luxury seldom seen anywhere.

One aspect of that luxury that customers won’t see is under their feet where Hacker Industries, Inc.’s line of Firm-Fill® Gypsum Concretes and Acoustical Control products were used to enhance the standard of luxury by providing a fire-resistant, sound-rated and durable surface for the installation of finished floor coverings.

Because the project included a historic rehabilitation and the construction of two new towers, Ivy Tower Development Company wanted an applicator with a great deal of experience and products they knew would not fail. KMAC, Inc., of Hutchinson, Minnesota, and Firm-Fill® products were chosen to durable, flat surface and sound attenuation required in luxury apartments.

KMAC, Inc. proposed a variety of Firm-Fill® Floor Underlayments for the project. FIRM-FILL® 3310 Classic was recommended to help flatten the existing floors of the Ivy Tower, which had endured years of neglect while the Ivy Tower was vacant. KMAC, Inc. pumped FIRM-FILL® 3310 Classic into the Ivy Tower with additional 3310 Classic installed in the two new towers to provide sound and fire resistance. Designed to help high-volume projects stay on schedule, FIRM-FILL 3310 Classic’s rapid set time and quick installation enabled other trades to continue work the following day.

To help create the ultimate quiet living environment and control vibration (impact) noise between units in the upscale condominium tower, KMAC utilized Hacker Sound Mat II, a resilient, recycled rubber sound control mat, in conjunction with FIRM-FILL® 3310 Classic. For this application, Hacker Sound Mat II was installed over FIRM-FILL 3310 providing superior impact sound control. The finished floor covering was then adhered directly over Hacker Sound Mat II.

Adding a whole new leve of opulence and warmth in the building’s most exquisite suites, the upper penthouse floors of the condominium tower included a radiant heat floor system. To evenly distribute the heat throughout the subfloor, GYP-SPAN® Radiant was installed to encase the Uponor radiant heat tubes.

Working on numerous multi-story towers, in a congested metropolitan location, doesn’t happen without its obstacles. “We had to carefully stage our crews and material deliveries to minimize storage space onsite and avoid heavy traffic,” said Scott Ryan of KMAC, Inc. The crew also worked on Saturdays to avoid the hustle and bustle of downtown Minneapolis.

Under the pressure of strict time restraints, Firm-Fill® Floor Underlayments allowed for the successful completion of the installation, meeting the aggressive deadline. This is just one example of excellent teamwork between Hacker Industries, Inc. and its Licensed Applicator, KMAC, Inc., to provide a showpiece installation that met the demanding expectations of the project.

KMAC, Inc. is a Licensed Applicator of Hacker Floor Underlayments covering Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota and neighboring Wisconsin. For more information on KMAC, Inc., call (320) 587-9697.

FIRM-FILL® 3310 Classic floor underlayment’s fast-setting surface rapidly eliminates water allowing for accelerated drying time and unparalleled levels of strength and finish over wood and concrete subfloors in new construction and renovation projects.

Hacker Sound Mat II is a 1/4” thick sound mat composed of 92 percent recycled rubber. It is designed to provide a quieter environment and meet the most demanding project specifications.

GYP-SPAN® Radiant is a gypsum concrete floor underlayment designed specifically for use over radiant heating systems. It encases the hot water tubes or electrical cables without air bubbles, creating a superior thermal mass that provides uniform heat transfer. GYP-SPAN® Radiant floor underlayment is the energy efficient and cost-effective way to create a smooth, flat, evenly heated floor surface for the attachment of virtually any finished floor covering.

Project Resource Files

Job of the Month Profile: Ivy Tower Hotel