FosterPlants, Inc. has been awarded the contract to provide interiorscape services for The Conrad Miami, Hilton Hotel's luxury brand.

The 203-room Conrad Miami in Espirito Santo Plaza is the first new-build, free-standing Conrad hotel in the U.S. When it opens in July, 2004, the hotel will join other luxury Conrad properties in such world-class destinations as London, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Brussels.

The Conrad Miami, the second Conrad in the US, marks the roll-out of the Conrad brand in the US.

FosterPlants will provide interior plantings for the ground floor registration lobby, the 25th floor Sky Atrium and lobby, along with the spa, restaurant, bar and lounge. In keeping with the classic contemporary interior design by The Getty's Group, a simple pallet of plants has been selected to complement the custom fabricated containers designed by The Getty's Group specifically for this project.

Plantings will consist of specimen Ming Aralias, Kentia Palms, Rhapis Palms and more than five hundred Bromeliads. The primary focus of the Sky Lobby will be four 30' tall Date Palms. "We specified preserved palms for this floor," said Steve Foster, President, FosterPlants, Inc. "The logistics of getting this size palm up to the 25th floor necessitated craning the trunks up over 15 months ago. The fronds will be installed just prior to the grand opening. Live palms would never have survived with the building being constructed around them. We also needed to assure our client that we would be able to provide replacements in the future, if necessary,  without removing curtain walls."

The Conrad Miami is located in Espirito Santo Plaza, a world class multi-use property located in the heart of Miami's Financial District. FosterPlants is also providing interior plantings for the interior public spaces of Espirito Santo Plaza.

"Certain areas of this project blur together as one," said Foster, "For example, the rear entrance to the building is actually the main entrance to the hotel. It's been somewhat of a challenge to design plantings that will complement the contemporary design of the building while 'warming' the entrance to the hotel. I think we will pull it off though."

The Conrad Miami will open July 1, 2004.

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