Inn and Spa built with cross-laminated and heavy timber, geothermal VRF heating and cooling system to match destination’s focus on nature and environmentally sound farming
McHugh Construction, one of the Midwest’s largest commercial contractors with a concentration in high-end hospitality, announces it has completed the Inn and Spa at Southall, a 325-acre luxury farm resort in Franklin, Tenn. Located about 30 minutes south of Nashville, the recently opened Southall includes the inn, spa and signature restaurant dedicated to sustainability.
The approximately 95,000-square-foot Inn and Spa at Southall features 62 guestrooms, an executive boardroom, 15,000-square-foot spa, all-day dining restaurant and bar, and a 3,700-square-foot signature seed-to-fork restaurant, January, featuring items grown on-site. Many guestrooms include wood-burning fireplaces, exposed wood beams and large windows overlooking the natural landscape.
“Southall’s emphasis on nature and sustainability drove the design, construction and material selection,” said John Sheridan, executive vice president of McHugh Construction. “We’re so accustomed to going vertical and building luxury hotel and mixed-use projects in urban areas with tight construction sites; the opportunity to apply our hospitality expertise in building a five-star resort among the bucolic rolling hills of Middle Tennessee was an honor, a challenge and, frankly, a magical experience. Perfection was the mantra throughout the project.”
For sustainability and aesthetic reasons, McHugh used cross-laminated timber (CLT) and heavy timber to frame Southall’s four interconnected buildings. Developed in Europe in the 1990s, CLT is made from several layers of structural-grade lumber arranged crosswise and glued together. While relatively new in the U.S., this alternative framing material is more sustainable than traditional steel and concrete because it’s harvested from managed forests that can be regulated and replanted. Using sloped CLT for the lobby, McHugh was also able to eliminate the cross bracing and framing to create a large, open space at the main entrance.
“I wanted a team with hospitality experience building at the highest possible quality level,” said Paul Mishkin, a Chicago investor and the founder of Southall. “After touring some of McHugh’s projects in Chicago such as Gibsons Italia restaurant and the Ritz-Carlton, I knew they would be the perfect general contractor for Southall. It proved to be a great choice. McHugh and the entire design and construction teams were so passionate about this project – they went above and beyond to make my vision for this resort become a reality.”
When Southall construction began, McHugh had just completed some notable Nashville projects, including FieldHouse Jones, a 93-room boutique hotel; The SoBro, a 32-story luxury apartment tower; West End Residential, a 20-story, 358-unit apartment tower near the Vanderbilt campus; and Kenect Nashville, a 20-story, 420-unit mixed-use development located on famous Music Row. “We had already proven ourselves with those projects, so we had really good relationships with the local subs, and we built Southall entirely with local Nashville subcontractors and labor,” Sheridan said.
McHugh used an integrated project delivery method at Southall and was present from the beginning of the design phase to provide input from a building perspective. “Even before the interiors were fully designed, we were moving ahead and starting on the structure, which is rare, but it definitely helps with the construction timeline,” Sheridan said. “Buying materials before you have all the details requires great cooperation and communication between the builder, designer and owner.”
In addition to CLT, another sustainable choice was made for the HVAC system, which is a water-source geothermal variant refrigerant flow (VRF) system. McHugh drilled 110 geothermal wells 400 feet deep under the parking lot and connected them to a geothermal loop within the building. The geothermal-sourced water stays between 50 and 90 degrees and allows each guest to precisely regulate a room’s temperature. It is also used to produce the hot water for the guestrooms, spa and kitchens.
“At every step of the project, we paid close attention to the environment and made a sustainable choice,” Sheridan said. “Geothermal VRF systems use much less electricity to heat and cool the building than conventional HVAC systems.”
Conceived seven years ago as a biodynamic working farm, focused on agricultural innovation and sustainable, responsible and productive use of the land, Southall includes orchards, greenhouses for hydroponic production and a seasonal farm stand. The working farm at Southall employs both advanced farming technologies and heritage farming techniques – from hydroponics and aquaculture to rotational grazing, permaculture and terracing – to create a farm of the future, with an old-world reverence. Southall also includes an event center and 16 standalone cottages. Outside of the sustainable working farm and luxury resort, 97% of the property will be maintained as green space.
About McHugh Construction:
Specializing in multi-family residential, hotel and hospitality, and recreational facilities, McHugh Construction is a fourth-generation, privately owned company and one of the largest full-service construction firms in the United States. McHugh provides a platform for collaboration, transparency, and efficiency. Within that seamless approach, the firm offers a full range of core competencies and capabilities including general contracting, construction management, design-build, preconstruction services, program management, concrete construction and structural engineering services on behalf of every client on every project. McHugh’s unwavering commitment to its clients, its ability to deliver exceptional results on time and within budget, and its dedication to growing and developing its partnerships with subcontractors is the reputation the firm has built are the reasons behind its 80% repeat business. McHugh has transformed some of the most luxurious five-star hotels, including the Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton Chicago and Four Seasons; constructed record-setting high-rise buildings with NEMA Chicago, St. Regis Chicago and Aqua Tower; built recreational facilities at United Center and Indoor Track & Field Facility at Gately Park; and led the transformation of Navy Pier through its Centennial Vision renovation program. McHugh has also completed several projects around the country in locations including Nashville, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and South Florida. For more information on the company, visit www.mchughconstruction.com.
About Southall:
Located in historic Franklin, Tenn., Southall encompasses over 325 acres of lush, rolling Middle Tennessee hillside, creating a unique escape dedicated to saluting the agricultural heritage of the region, while advancing innovative practices for a sustainable future. Southall features 62 guest rooms and suites, along with 16 separate cottages; a spa that empowers guests’ well-being journeys with transformative treatments and mindful rituals rooted in natural elements; a wealth of farm, wellness, and adventure activities, and a signature restaurant and culinary program led by Executive Chef Andrew Klamar. For more information, visit www.southalltn.com.
