Opal Sands

Opal Sands

Opal Sands

Opal Sands Resort is a 17-story, 380,000-sf premier hotel located directly on the Gulf of Mexico in Clearwater Beach, Florida. The recipient of the 2016 ENR Southeast Regional Best Project Award, the Opal Sands Resort was born from the vision of the owner/developer, Ocean Properties, LTD (OPL). The owner desired a new flagship hotel to add to their portfolio of international resort hotels. The project had a few challenges to overcome, including exposure to Florida’s high hurricane wind loads, construction in multiple flood zones, and designing a concrete building on a site with loose beach sands. A wind tunnel test was of the utmost importance as it resulted in overall reduced costs as well as a more accurate design, including adjustments made around the base of the building where pedestrians would be affected. Any wall that is not a shear wall, stair, or elevator wall was designed to withstand wind forces but must fail or break-away under storm-driven wave action, so the two lower floors of the building are open parking. Pennoni provided structural design, construction administration and threshold inspections. 

Commercial/Retail

Structural

Transforming communities for more than 55 years

Communities face evolving challenges with infrastructure, environment, and funding. Both private and public clients need a partner to understand those challenges and create smart, sustainable solutions.

Longevity Meets Flexibility

With nearly 60 years of expertise, Pennoni delivers innovative solutions by approaching engineering challenges from a wider angle than most and fostering collaboration to address current challenges and future demands.

40+ offices

Local Partners, National Expertise

With 40+ offices, we live, visit, and work in the communities we serve, so we build partnerships to bring the best solutions for the community; not just the best solution.

Evolving
Capabilities

We continually employ innovation to accomplish more for our clients, using the latest technologies to complement our traditional engineering services.

1,300+ people

Pride in Making an Impact

At Pennoni, we start every project by asking "How will this benefit the community?" Because we are a 100% employee-owned firm, our 1,400+ colleagues put our passion, talent, and value into every project, every day.