THE AMEX LOUNGE: AN OASIS OF LUXURY
Location:
Atlanta, GA
Scope:
Equipment Specification, Sourcing and Installation
The American Express Centurion Lounge at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport (HJAIA) serves as a beautiful space of calm and serenity among the hustle and bustle of the busiest airport in the world. Comfortable seating with a stunning view of the tarmac, delicious food from a locally inspired menu, and signature cocktails all within a lush environment filled with green plants and centered around a majestic black olive tree provide a perfect spot to rest or work between flights.
The lounge was a result of careful coordination between Boelter, the architectural firm of Perkins & Will, foodservice designers Jacobs, Doland and Beer, and New South Synergy. All the partners worked together to create a space that would meet the client’s goals for a high-end customer experience all while navigating the complications of doing construction at a busy airport terminal.
Equipped for Service
The hub of the lounge is the 2,200 square foot kitchen, designed to serve anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 people per day. Russ Streett, project manager, Boelter, worked to source all of the equipment and manage the delivery and installation over the course of the construction. “The client had a really specific standard for this lounge, with expectations for high-end equipment and furnishings throughout,” says Sharani Umo, project manager, New South Synergy. “Russ has such great knowledge of foodservice equipment and relationships with people in the industry that he knew exactly where to go to get what was needed for this job.”
In the kitchen, customized stainless prep areas complement the Vulcan ranges and griddle and Alto Shaam combi-oven, all under state-of-the-art Gaylord exhaust hoods. Outside the kitchen the equipment continues to play a starring role. Large buffet counters with customized, high-end millwork and elegant lighting serve up food in style. Drop in hot/cold wells keep food at the perfect temperatures. Eversys espresso machines allow barristas to create coffee selections to perfection. The lounge also boasts four Perlick bars, where guests can choose from a curated list of classic and new American whiskeys.
One of the most unique aspects of the kitchen happens to also be one that doesn’t always take a starring role. The American Panel walk-in cooler/freezer was designed to fit around two columns. Rather than being a traditional rectangle or square shape, it was L-shaped with an offset right angle to accommodate the columns. Due to the long lead time of over 11 months to order the cooler, Streett worked closely with the architects and the general contractors to make sure the measurements and space allotted for the cooler stayed the same throughout the course of construction.
“Usually we are able to wait until the walls of the building are up to order the equipment, but with the custom design of this cooler there was a longer lead time,” Streett says. “We all signed off together to ensure plans wouldn’t change and the equipment would fit in the space at installation.”
Rising to the Challenge: Bringing Equipment to the Terminal
Streett’s expertise in equipment was invaluable on the Centurion Lounge project not only in finding the right equipment and keeping the project on schedule, but also navigating the challenges of working at an airport terminal. All the work was done at night, when the air traffic was less intense, and everyone who entered the work site had to have background checks. Streett worked diligently to find a committed team of qualified workers to handle the equipment delivery.
“There was a lot of work with logistics on this project, making sure we had crews that could work, that the deliveries would show up on time, and ensuring we had all the tools and equipment for installation so there were no delays once we were on site,” Streett says. In order to expedite getting equipment to the site, Streett utilized a third-party warehouse near the airport. He also brought in a forklift, and one night a crane, to get the equipment in place on the upper-level lounge. “We had to get approval from the airport to shut down a terminal for the night we brought the crane in,” Streett says.
The Centurion Lounge opened to American Express members in February 2024, and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive. The client has already requested more equipment, including additional combi ovens and another espresso machine. “They really appreciated the work Boelter did in researching and sourcing the equipment,” Umo says. “It’s a direct reflection of the quality work done by Boelter as a trusted supplier that they’ve come back so quickly with a new request. It means Boelter did a really good job the first time around.”
