Hotel and hospitality construction projects can entail a gamut of challenging building activities—from ground-up constructions of multi-story lodging structures to renovations and build-outs of facilities that provide a complete hospitality experience. To ensure that these projects are well-coordinated and performed with great care to result in structurally-sound buildings, it is best to get the help of the best hotel and hospitality contractors in the area.

The following are ten of the top builders that create facilities within the service industry—including lodging, food and drink service, and other fields pertaining to hospitality—in New York City. Each is adept in various facets of medium- to large-scale construction, touting significant experience and knowledge in relevant industry techniques and technology. In evaluating and ranking these firms, our team took into account various criteria; we looked at their individual accreditations, certifications, and professional affiliations. We also considered the various awards and press recognition they’ve accumulated and, similarly, their years of industry experience, client reviews, and range of services. As a result, we have come up with a list that features a wide spectrum of builders, from contractors that place a great emphasis on sustainable and environmentally-conscious building efforts to firms that construct various types of multi-unit structures such as townhouses and high-rise buildings.

Holt Construction

50 E Washington Ave., Pearl River, NY 10965

Since 1919, Holt Construction has built and proven its reputation as a quality construction company by embracing its core values of efficiency and empowerment, as well as offering a total building solutions package to clients. The team’s experience, dedication, and training have allowed it to work within the most challenging markets such as data centers, Class A secure buildings, and airports. The firm has also completed numerous projects in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, corporate, commercial, and hospitality industries.

Restoration Hardware hired Holt for the demolition of and build-out for its debut, 14-room boutique hotel in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District at 55 Gansevoort Street. The building will serve as a showroom for the brand, showcasing Restoration Hardware’s furniture and fixtures, and will also have a ground-floor restaurant. It will be the first hospitality concept launched by the California-based public company. The project entails the replacement of ground floor infill, the existing awning, and lights; the removal of non-original fire escapes, an existing chimney, and bulkheads; and new wood windows and decorative molding. Additionally, the roof will get a new sixth floor plus a mechanical floor above, which will be surrounded by a glass windscreen. This floor will allow for two pools, trees, couches, and tables.

ICS Builders, Inc.

14th Fl., 108 W 39th St., New York, NY 10018

ICS Builders is a general contracting, construction, and design-build firm operating in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, and the District of Columbia. Established in 1980, the firm’s services entail supporting clients from initial consultation and design to the pre-construction and bid phases, as well as actual construction all the way through to punch lists and final close-out. As a result, ICS has built some of the most unique and enduring structures in the banking and finance, retail, healthcare, educational, and non-profit, and hospitality sectors.

The firm served as the general contractor for the construction of the first Porcão restaurant in the city. This premier restaurant chain offers a cuisine based on traditional Brazilian meat dishes, and operates outlets in Latin America, Europe, and Miami, Florida. The two-story, 15,000-square-foot facility features several amenities such as a lounge, a bar, churrascaria grills, a private dining room with audio-visual equipment, and kitchen and support areas. ICS was responsible for all pre-construction and construction activities, including value engineering and selection of subcontractors. It was also in charge of the construction of the storefront, the entrance, and all interiors, as well as structural reinforcement and architectural millwork. The team also installed terrazzo flooring, kitchen equipment, and all mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. The project’s challenges included a fast-track, 24-week schedule and a large number of custom features, such as angled glass walls.

JRM Construction Management

242 W 36th St., 10th Fl., New York, NY 10018

JRM Construction Management is a construction management and general contracting firm founded in 2007. Headquartered in New York City and serving clients nationwide, the firm specializes in commercial interior projects and provides contracting services as a construction manager, general contractor, and design-build firm. Many architects, developers, and Fortune 1000 companies have sought JRM’s expertise and distinct building approach. This, as well as the firm’s continuous growth, has led to the opening of an additional East and West Coast office, as well as a Core and Shell division that focuses on the construction of base buildings on behalf of property developers.

The firm completed an interior fit-out for the luxurious five-star hotel group Langham Place on Fifth Avenue. The project included the renovation of 22 floors, 214 guest rooms, meeting rooms, and banquet halls. In addition, JRM built 20 new guest rooms with new furniture and fixtures, a walk-in shower and separate deep soaking tubs, stonetop double sink vanities, and a private, enclosed toilet. The firm also constructed a brand new fitness center, offices, and a state-of-the-art spa on the fourth floor. JRM also coordinated and performed phased renovations of the lobby and guest entrances during operating hours.

Levine Builders

42-09 235th St., Douglaston, NY 11363

Founded in 1979, Levine Builders touts proficiency in a wide range of construction management and general contracting services. Its portfolio encompasses hundreds of renovated, rehabilitated, and ground-up construction buildings; thousands of apartments; and millions of square footage of combined commercial space and residential units. The firm’s skilled project management team works with experienced estimators, field personnel, in‐house risk managers, and expeditors to provide a comprehensive approach to various facets of construction.

Emphasizing the importance of sustainable design and construction, Levine works closely with its engineering team and consultants to maximize the green potential of its projects and consequently reduce operation costs of completed structures. Thanks to this commitment and expertise, the firm was able to construct The EDGE Condominium, which was the largest residential project to be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified in the city at the time of its completion.

One of the firm’s remarkable projects is the Gansevoort Hotel on Park Avenue. Levine served as the general contractor for the construction of this new 19-story hotel. The building’s facade features glass-and-metal and porcelain panels as well as a 150-foot tall glass column with LED lighting. Meanwhile, the hotel houses a 10,000-square-foot glass-fronted restaurant at street level and 1,800 square feet of retail space on the first and mezzanine levels.

Omnibuild Construction

213 W 35th St., 7th Fl., New York, NY 10001

Omnibuild Construction has continued to gain traction in the industry since its establishment in 2007 due to its exceptional ground-up high-rise construction and major renovations across the metropolitan area. As one of the leading mid-sized construction management and general contracting firms in the city, the firm specializes in building structures for the hospitality, residential, and educational market sectors. In 2017, the firm was featured in Engineering News-Record’s list of the top 400 contractors in America, and in Inc. Magazine’s list of the top 500 fastest privately growing companies in America.

As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, the firm has undertaken numerous LEED projects. It has completed more than 20,000 vertical feet of building space in New York, representing nearly 6,200 hotel guest rooms and almost four million square feet. 

The Hilton Garden Inn is one of the firm’s standout projects, located in the middle of the city’s best entertainment and transportation hubs. The building touts a brick and metal panel facade and houses 250 rooms spread over 22 floors. Two rooms on the 16th floor have panoramic views, two rooms on the 17th floor have balconies, and the rooms on the 22nd floor have a 22-foot ceiling to match. Meanwhile, the building also has a brand new fitness center and a lobby restaurant with an indoor and outdoor terrace.

Reidy Contracting Group

120 W 31st St., 7th Fl., New York, NY 10001

Since 2010, Reidy Contracting Group has been collaborating with some of the most renowned names in New York to provide outstanding general contracting and construction management services. The firm successfully addresses a spectrum of client needs through its comprehensive renovation, new construction, construction infrastructure, and refurbishment solutions. It has skilled and highly qualified professionals to complete in-house budgeting and estimation, purchasing, scheduling of pre-construction and construction phases, quality control, and value engineering, as well as strong partnerships with experienced subcontractors.

The firm’s extensive portfolio features numerous residential, corporate, infrastructure and mission critical, media, health and fitness, retail, and hospitality facilities. One of its most remarkable hotel projects is the Park South Hotel. The main lobby of the 16,000-square-feet hotel was fully gutted and updated with new finishes and a layout that tied the space in with two new restaurants. The project also included infrastructure upgrades for all of the mechanical systems—including new underground work—as well as new structural work to accommodate the new layout.

Sciame Construction

14 Wall St., New York, NY 10005

Recognized throughout the tri-state area as one of the go-to builders for creatively-designed and technically-sophisticated buildings, Sciame Construction brings a 44-year history and a proven track record of delivering timely and well-coordinated projects. Throughout its operations, the firm has constructed and renovated numerous buildings and interior spaces in the commercial, corporate, cultural, educational, hospitality, religious, residential, retail, and entertainment sectors. The firm has also developed expertise in publicly-funded work and historic preservations.

Photo by Timothy Schenck 

Sciame maintains its status as a premier builder by applying the highest standards of excellence to every aspect of the construction process. This, in combination with a culture of collaboration and safety, has enabled the team to successfully complete some of the finest structures in the city and secure numerous referrals and repeat clients.

Shawmut Design and Construction

3 E 54th St., 10th Fl., New York, NY 10022

Full-service general contractor and construction manager Shawmut Design and Construction provides a wide range of building solutions enriched by innovative and collaborative efforts. The firm adds value to projects through services such as sustainable construction, building information modeling (BIM), and virtual construction. The last one enables Shawmut to develop realistic and efficient schedules and phasing plans, as well as detect potential problems when they can still be corrected. The firm also provides in-house engineering and green building services that they can seamlessly integrate into any project.

Shawmut’s unique business model, as well as its specialized professionals, has greatly contributed to the firm’s continued growth and success. Both have allowed the team to work for prominent names and organizations across the nation. For instance, the firm has worked on the Intercontinental New York Barclay where it performed a full renovation of the existing 1926 hotel. The team was in charge of the improvement of 702 guest rooms and the addition of two ballrooms, a restaurant, a bar, a back of house, and a lobby.

Turner Construction

375 Hudson St. 6th Flr., New York, NY 10014

With more than a century’s worth of experience, Turner Construction is a force to reckon in the building industry. The firm has been serving diverse market segments in North America, earning numerous awards and recognition mainly for its large, complex construction projects. It has worked for and on some of the biggest names and landmarks in distinct sectors such as cultural and entertainment, aviation and transportation, sports, data centers, pharmaceutical, and hospitality. With a staff of 6,000 employees, Turner completes $12 billion worth of construction and works on an average of 1,500 projects annually.

The firm approaches each project with an emphasis on collaboration, reliable scheduling, and efficient and value-added delivery. This commitment was evident in the firm’s construction of The Verdesian. The 27-story, 300,000-square-foot high-performance multifamily residential tower is the first multifamily residential building in the U.S. to achieve a LEED Platinum certification.

Among the building’s many eco-friendly and sustainable features is an HVAC system that conditions fresh air introduced into each apartment, exceeding city energy efficiency standards by almost 40 percent. The structure is also linked to an existing blackwater treatment plant, which recycles water from bathrooms and kitchens to re-supply toilets and provide make-up water for the HVAC system cooling tower. The building harvests rainwater and stores 10,000 gallons of recycled water for irrigation for the “green” rooftop garden, which, in turn, provides a layer of insulation for the building.

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