A Whale(r) of a Project

Family-owned since 1979, the Whaler Hotel overlooks the beautiful Oregon Coast

“Do we call this a ground BREAKING or a ground BREACHING…?”

On April 3rd we officially kicked off an $11 million design+build addition to the boutique Whaler Hotel in Newport, Oregon. The original Whaler Hotel featured 73 rooms and three ocean-front rental houses. Our team designed and is now building 26 new units, a new amenity spa, updates to the existing pool, a new sauna, hot tub, gym, and outdoor fire pits with easy beach access to one of the most scenic beaches on the Oregon Coast, Nye Beach.

OCA’s Joe Morgan gives a huge SPOUT-OUT to the Whaler Team; Russell Schutte, Matt Oest, Derek Salo, Derick Handley, Jim Tobin, & James Putnam. While he is far from a BLOWHARD, Joe shares with us these challenges and lessons learned on the project to date:

  • Keeping the hotel open and operational
  • Being good neighbors and keeping neighboring properties accessible during construction
  • Daylighting unknown conditions at the existing building
  • Finding surprises during excavation
  • Using communication and coordinating with our engineers and subs to keep the project moving forward

Phase 1 is underway with mass excavation and grading, and our crew PODS have MIGRATED on-site to provide new roof features for Phase 2. The final phase of construction is slated to start BUBBLING the week after Labor Day.