The client
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, an iconic Quebec City hotel and architectural symbol of the city since 1893.
Customer success | Hospitality and heritage building
How Château Frontenac reopened its ballroom two weeks after major water damage, without losing its original character
Overview
The customer success story at a glance
The challenge
A sprinkler pipe break caused water damage across two floors, including the ballroom ceiling. The initial assessment called for three months of demolition and reconstruction.
The results
The ballroom reopened in two weeks, without demolition and without losing its original gilded moldings.
The organization
Preserving an architectural symbol of Quebec City
Château Frontenac, whose construction began in 1892 under architect Bruce Price, is one of the world’s most photographed hotels and an architectural symbol of Quebec City. It grew from 170 to 618 rooms through four expansions between 1897 and 1993, while retaining period decor, including gilded moldings that are integral to its heritage character.
In a hotel with this heritage significance, water damage affecting reception rooms cannot be addressed through conventional demolition without risking irreplaceable period elements and taking revenue-generating spaces out of service for months. This combined heritage and operational challenge required a specialized response.
The challenges
A sprinkler pipe break that put the ballroom and three months of operations at risk
Water damage across two floors, reaching the ballroom ceiling
A break in defective sprinkler piping caused water damage across two floors of Château Frontenac, including the ornate ballroom ceiling. The initial assessment for a conventional restoration, involving demolition, reconstruction and refinishing the moldings, called for approximately three months of work.
Combined heritage and financial risk
Closing a reception room for three months posed a risk to original gilded moldings that could not be reproduced identically, as well as substantial financial losses for the hotel. A method was needed that could resolve both issues at once.
The solution
How Assek avoided three months of demolition
A two-week restoration without demolition
Assek Technologies responded with its Secur-Air rapid drying technology, without demolition. Instead of removing the ceiling and moldings for reconstruction, the team dried the structure in place, preserving the ballroom’s original decor.
Services and technologies used
Water damage response
Emergency response adapted to the situation.
Detailed assessment and estimate
Assessment and estimate tailored to the heritage context.
Non-destructive drying
Rapid drying method with Secur-Air technology.
Expert assessment and drying report
Documentation of the intervention and drying follow-up.
The results
A ballroom reopened in two weeks, with its moldings intact
Heritage decor preserved, rapid reopening
The ballroom reopened two weeks after the loss, rather than the three months planned for conventional reconstruction, without losing the original gilded moldings or the space’s heritage character.
Key results
to reopen the ballroom
Instead of the three months estimated for conventional demolition and reconstruction.
and period decor preserved
The ballroom's heritage decor was retained.
demolition required
Across the two affected floors.
losses from a prolonged closure
Rapid return to service limited the operational impact.
Do you manage a hotel or heritage building exposed to water damage?
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