AECOM Hunt served as CM for renovations to the Kentucky International Convention Center. This transformational project required the demolition and reconstruction of the western half of the existing convention center in order to make way for a new convention center configuration. The new facility features 200,000 SF of contiguous exhibit hall space, up from the previous 146,000 SF, along with 10,000 additional SF of ballroom space.
Renovations also feature the redesign and the construction of the lower concourse meeting rooms, new pre-function areas at all three concourses, the addition of unique cantilevered pre-function/circulation areas extending over Market and Jefferson streets and new vertical circulation throughout the building. Other improvements include updated, energy-efficient HVAC and mechanical systems, state-of-the-art building automation and communications equipment, a new exterior façade, major interior finish upgrades and more.
The iconic new exterior façade is composed of metal panels and a combination of masonry brick and stone as well as more than 63,500 SF of glass curtain wall, maximizing natural light as well as improving building transparency and indoor and outdoor visual connections.
The project attained LEED Silver Certification by reducing landfill waste during construction; employing new energy-efficient mechanical systems, LED lighting and low-water-use appliances and fixtures; and using low-VOC, formaldehyde-free materials, as well as certified sustainable or reclaimed wood. Finally, a portion of the convention center’s roof has a white “cool” roof design, reducing the building’s urban heat island effect.