We use "Loving" to describe this section, because it's a core tenant of a model we admire for running businesses called Conscious Capitalism.
While not always easy, we try to lead with love by adding gratitude, appreciation, compassion, and forgiveness to our daily actions. In today's challenging environment, love can also have a tough side, but we hope that it inspires and demands the best from our amazing team -- described further below.
FOCUSED ON MOTHER EARTH
When we kicked off the project in 2018, our first hire was the Landscape Architect Coen+Partners, who received the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Award and excels working with large natural properties and melding the built environment into the landscape. Local firms with deep domain expertise, including Greenway Engineering for Civil and Sustainable Solutions for Natural Resource Management, are helping us safely achieve our preservation and restoration mandate.
As well, we are proud to work with Chris and Rene White (of Cherokee and Lumbee heritage), founders of the Native American Church of Virginia, as our Indigenous Liaison.
WORLD CLASS DESIGN TEAM
Our building architecture is led Olson Kundig & Marlon Blackwell Architects, who have received the most prestigious design accolades across the world (including the United States' highest honor, Blackwell's 2019 AIA Gold Medal award) for innovation, green design, and their ability to blur the boundaries between the built and natural worlds. The local architect is Thrive Architecture, who integrates inspiring designs within a local context. We also hired Charlottesville-based Staengl Engineering, an acclaimed MEP firm helping us become fossil fuel free and energy positive.
"BEST AND BRIGHTEST" IN HOSPITALITY
We hired Clodagh Interior Design, a globally recognized interior designer with an impressive array of awards for their “life enhancing minimalism” work. The amazing Julie Garman is adding a Shenandoah interiors flare, while Luxury Frontiers is injecting a little fun by building treehouses -- leveraging their global award winning work designing experiential lodges.
Key hospitality advisors include locally-based Ross Bierken (former CEO and Chief Investment Officer, RLJ Lodging Trust - NYSE: RLJ) and Lan Elliott (Co-Founder Acacia Hospitality; former VP, Intercontinental Hotels and Starwood).
Moving beyond design, we hired Whiting-Turner as a construction manager, given their impressive hospitality track record and long history in the Valley delivering sustainable projects; design/build specialist Greenspur, who excels delivering bespoke projects that have a unique story; and Silman / TM Light providing structural and lighting engineering to help us achieve our regenerative development goals at an affordable price.
Hal Thannisch and John Travers have been involved in project managing amazing resort hospitality projects during the past thirty years, and ORR Partners leads our construction management efforts. Finally, Greg McCarley, a James Madison graduate who co-owns the New Star Market (off 55), is connecting the neighbors and community with our project, including the best artisans, craftspeople, and healing arts specialists the region has to offer.