“America’s greenest hotel” is in New Haven.
And it was designed by a Westport architect.
Bruce Becker, principal of Becker + Becker, has reimagined the Brutalist former Armstrong Rubber/Pirelli headquarters — visible on the north side of I-95, near the I-91 merge — as the Hotel Marcel.
The zero-emission building has 165 rooms, a 9,000-plus square foot conference center, and full service restaurant.
It has earned both Passive House and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certifications.
Bruce Becker, in front of his new Hotel Marcel. (Photo/Ned Gerard for Connecticut Magazine)
According to a recent CNN story — which gave it that “greenest” designation — the hotel uses 100% renewable electricity for lighting, heating, air conditioning and hot water, thanks to 0ver 1,000 solar panels.
While the exterior remained intact — an environmentally-conscious decision — CNN says Becker and his team “reconceptualized the interior. They used Power over Ethernet lighting, a new, low-voltage technology that uses less power than traditional wiring, which reduced the building’s lighting energy use by more than 30%, says Becker, and installed triple-glazed windows for top-tier insulation.”
Becker’s wife and partner, Kraemer Sims Becker, curated the art collection.
Click here for the full CNN story. Click here for an “06880” story on Becker’s renovation of his 1917 Compo Beach saltbox into a solar paneled, VRF powered zero-energy home.
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In January, in the University of Michigan’s national championship football game, Jake Thaw earned renown for dropping a punt near the goal line — and just as quickly, alertly avoiding a safety that could have cost the Wolverines the title against Alabama.
After earning an NCAA title ring, the 2020 Staples High School graduate (where he starred in both football and basketball) entered the transfer portal. Though a senior in the Ross School of Business, Thaw has 3 years of eligibility remaining. He was a Michigan walk-on.
Thaw — who returned 15 punts for 101 yards last season — will continue his college career at the University of Delaware. (Hat tip: Pete Wolgast)
Jake Thaw
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Speaking of sports: Want to get your car “shipshape”? Or at least clean?
The Staples sailing team will hold a car wash at Kings Highway Elementary School this Saturday (May 18, 9 to noon). There’s a DJ and bake sale too.
All hands will be on deck. it’s a fundraiser for upgrades on equipment.
Staples sailing team.
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Though yesterday was Mother’s Day, every mother knows: A mother’s work is never done.
This mom was busy yesterday, tending her young ones. She did not even have time to stop, as Mary Sikorski snapped her photo for our “Westport … Naturally” feature:
(Photo/Mary Sikorski)
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And finally … in honor of the very green Hotel Marcel (story above), we present the Marcels’ very memorable “Blue Moon”:
(Welcome to another week of “06880” Roundups. As we often do, we present it with a reminder: Your hyper-local blog relies on reader support. Please click here to contribute. Thank you!)
I believe Marcel Breuer should be given some of the credit for Hotel Marcel. While Becker did reimagine the use and interiors, it is not accurate to give him sole billing as designer of the building.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Marcel
Marcel Breuer should get sole credit for designing the Pirelli Tire Building! Any changes made that later destroyed some of the building (to put in parking lots for IKEA) defaced the original building.
What the Beckers do deserve 100% credit for (nothing but kudos to them) is purchasing what was left of the building, redesigning the interior, and, effectively, saving this architectural landmark with their conversion of it into a hotel.
One can only imagine how quickly this building would have been torn down, had it been in Westport. Finished in 1970, the building would have been torn down before it was fifty years old, because artistic merit doesn’t concern our Town, just age.
Here is a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8vuVgVucjs&t=32s) if you are interested in seeing a little more about Hotel Marcel.