December 27, 2020 - Construction on the Westgate Group's Dalmatia Tower in Split, which will house the first Marriott Hotel in Croatia, should be complete by the end of 2021.

Slobodna Dalmacija writes that this year, in the list of the top 50 tallest buildings in Europe, Split's Dalmatia Tower is in 22nd place, standing tall at 135 meters, just two less than Romania's Sky Tower, which ranked higher.

The project, which created a new architectural value in Croatia and enriched Split's urban value, has reached its full height this year. Residents of nearby buildings and those who often drive on Domovinskog rata Street, during the first six months, followed the tireless work of crane operators on the country's highest construction crane and counted the number of floors from week to week until the final 27th floor was erected.

As is already known, Dalmatia Tower is part of the Westgate project consisting of two towers; the first, which has been the seat of the Management Board of Splitska banka since 2016, today OTP banka. Their offices are located on 12 floors while four underground floors are reserved for employee parking spaces. The modular approach to design has enabled users to adapt the office to their own needs and the criteria of a "green building," a pleasant and energy and cost-effective work environment.

Today, four years after the move to "Tower A," the conclusion is that the recognition of the 2017 project was justified when the first prize for the best high-rise business project in Europe arrived in Split - and it won among a few thousand applications from 115 countries.

On that occasion, architect Otto Barić considered it necessary to point out that the recognition itself does not refer exclusively to the architecture of one of the most challenging projects in his rich career but is also related to development skills.

Therefore, investors point out; there is no doubt that apart from the height of Dalmatia Tower, it will also impress with its contents and functionality, which is key to feeling comfortable in any space.

This will soon be confirmed by guests of the first Marriott hotel in Croatia because not only do the hotel rooms offer a fantastic view of Diocletian's city and the sea, but there is also a wellness area, indoor pool, restaurant with terrace, conference rooms and other facilities. 

Courtyard by Marriott - a brand of the world-renowned group Marriott International will be located on the upper floors, from 16 to 27, and with four-stars, will fit perfectly into the tourist offer of Split in the segment that the city lacks the most.

Just under a month ago, the prestigious British edition of The Times & The Sunday Times declared Croatia among the top three international destinations in the "Best Country award 2020" category, positioned just behind Italy and New Zealand. It's no surprise that the Brits value the diversity of natural beauty and a rich tourist offer the most.

Official Eurostat data on tourism trends for the past season confirmed Croatia's leading position in the Mediterranean, which confirms the stable position that Croatian tourism enjoys internationally and an additional encouragement for the Marriott Group's business in Split.

The hotel's location in a busy, dynamic part of the city, only fifteen minutes by foot to Diocletian's Palace and twenty minutes by car to Split airport, makes it an ideal choice for accommodation for business reasons or a relaxing holiday.

Modern but warm interior design will certainly be an additional lure, and as a "green building," there will be rational water consumption and reduced CO2 emissions, which makes living conditions in interiors more comfortable. With the international energy certificate LEED, all users are guaranteed a healthy and stimulating work environment and a pleasant, relaxing holiday, somewhere between the sea and the sky.

After Dalmatia Tower's exterior construction was completed and the glass facade was almost completely set, we have to wonder: "When will it be finished?".

"If everything goes according to plan, at the end of 2021," said the Westgate Group.

"Although the reinforced concrete construction of the tower is the most visible part of the work for the public, the most complex part of the project related to the installations and the interior is in front of us. Installation and construction-craft works are in progress, and the project is financed by the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development," they added, and finally concluded:

"Unpredictable is the real name by which we can call 2020, which we are slowly leaving behind, so we are cautiously predicting what the next one might bring. However, as the works on Dalmatia Tower were not stopped during the lockdown but continued with respect to epidemiological measures, we believe that the remaining part of the work on the Split tower will go according to plan. That New Year's wish could come true for us!"

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October 22, 2019 - Investor group 'Westgate Tower' has confirmed that the LSG Group will resume construction on the soon-to-be tallest skyscraper in Croatia. The new Split building should also house the first Courtyard by Marriott hotel in the country. 

Slobodna Dalmacija writes that for some time now, the construction site of the soon-to-be tallest skyscraper in Croatia, next to the administrative building of OTP banka in Split, has been dormant. But as investors reveal, the construction will soon begin again. 

“At the beginning of the year, we announced a new general contractor - the LSG Group - and now the conditions have finally been met for them to fully take over the coordination of all works on the tower,” said Davor Pavlov, a board member of the investor company 'Westgate Tower'.

Davor Pavlov responded to numerous inquiries about the current state of the Split construction site.

“In terms of the construction schedule and technology, preparations are underway for the second phase of the works, namely for the installation and interior. At the moment, we are adapting the entire organization of the construction site to this stage, as the currently active groups working on the construction and facade are nearing the end. Also, at this moment, when the facility has 25 of the total 27 floors, the conditions have emerged that the main contractor, the Austrian LSG Group, will fully assume the coordination of all works on the facility.”

Investors recall that at the beginning of the year, the former contractor Tehnika d.d. announced issues in the company and were contracted to continue working with the LSG Group on a turnkey basis.

“In the meantime, 'Tehnika d.d.' entered the pre-bankruptcy settlement procedure, which allowed this company to continue to perform works on reinforced concrete (AB) construction of the facility until the moment of transition, that is, the complete construction site was taken over by LSG Group.

“In such complex objects, technological transitions of this type are not easy and require a certain amount of time. We expect that LSG Group will establish full work dynamics in the coming period and finish the facility on mutual satisfaction and within the given deadline,” said Pavlov.

Currently, 25 floors are built, and the building has reached a height of 95 meters. Investors expect the transition to be completed in a couple of weeks and conclude that it is realistic to expect that the tallest building in the country, the 'Dalmatia Tower', from its six underground and 28 above-ground floors, will reach a full height of 115 meters by the end of this year.

“Although the construction works were temporarily halted by the LSG Group, completion of the 'Dalmatia Tower' is planned for the second half of 2020. We are very pleased with the professional approach of the LSG Group, and are confident in their expertise and ability to complete works within the given deadlines,” Pavlov concluded.

Recall, the ‘Dalmatia Tower’ is set to will house the first Marriott hotel in Croatia, featuring a total of 200 luxury rooms. This hotel will be located between the 16th and 26th floors, and on the top floor, there will be a 'Sky bar' with the most magnificent views of Split and its surroundings. It will be the fifth hotel from this luxury hotel chain in Croatia, though it will be the first 'Courtyard by Marriott' in Croatia, which is recognized worldwide as an ideal accommodation for business travel.

The project is funded by the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development - HBOR.

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