Nashville International Airport (BNA) has been undergoing a major, multi-year expansion aimed at transforming the airport into a world-class transportation hub. As part of this massive endeavor, Charter Construction had the privilege of serving as the concrete subcontractor for several high-profile projects, including the development of the new terminal garage and the BNA Hilton Hotel, a stunning 11-level structure built atop the garage itself.
The project’s success is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Charter team, including Senior Project Manager Jonathan Rizkallah and Superintendent Eddie Moore. Their leadership and collaboration with the various project stakeholders ensured smooth execution despite the challenges that come with such a complex undertaking.
Seamless Collaboration Across Multiple Teams
One unique aspect of the BNA Hilton project was the need to coordinate across two separate but connected projects. Charter was the concrete subcontractor for both the parking garage and the hotel, but the general contractors and architects for each project were different.
Serving as the concrete contractor on both projects, Charter helped bridge the two efforts. The team’s proactive involvement ensured that both the parking garage and hotel were constructed with precision and in sync with the overall project timeline.
Charter participated in weekly design-build team meetings for both projects, where open communication between all stakeholders was essential. “One thing that worked really well was the consistent, open communication between us and the design teams,” said Jonathan Rizkallah, Senior Project Manager. “Every week, we had a design call where we could share our concrete model and get our questions answered right away. That open dialogue helped us avoid delays and keep things moving efficiently.”
Creative Problem-Solving on a Tight Site
Constructing a large-scale hotel next to an active airport brought its own set of logistical challenges. One of the most significant hurdles was the limited space available around the site. The sheer size of the structure made it difficult to position cranes on multiple sides of the building, and placing multiple tower cranes would have significantly increased costs while complicating the dismantling process.
To overcome these challenges, the Charter team devised a creative approach. By strategically scheduling manpower across multiple shifts, Charter was able to ensure that different activities could be carried out without the need for additional cranes. This solution not only saved time and resources but also helped keep the project on track.
“Eddie’s experience as superintendent for both the garage and hotel projects gave us a real advantage when it came to navigating the site challenges,” noted Jonathan. “His deep understanding of the site logistics allowed us to come up with practical solutions to the crane access issues.”
Meeting Deadlines with Precision and Efficiency
The BNA Hilton Hotel project was also notable for its aggressive timeline. Staying on schedule required careful coordination between Charter and other trade partners working simultaneously on their respective scopes of work. With multiple concrete pours happening each week for both the garage and the hotel, maintaining efficiency and quality was a top priority.
“Our team held weekly meetings to review the schedule, drawings, and budget,” Jonathan explained. “We also focused heavily on quality control—making sure things were done right the first time so that the other trades could follow smoothly.”
Safety was another critical focus throughout the project. With a high-profile location like BNA and the presence of multiple contractors, ensuring the well-being of everyone on site was paramount. “No one got hurt,” Jonathan said. “That’s something we don’t take lightly. Our team, other trades, and most importantly—the public—were all safe throughout the project.”
Reflecting on the project’s success, Superintendent Eddie Moore shared his sense of accomplishment: “It was rewarding to have such a successful project in such a high-profile location. I’m proud of all the collaboration between our entire team and stakeholders to exceed expectations.”
The BNA Hilton Hotel stands as a testament to the hard work, ingenuity, and dedication of the Charter Construction team. Through effective collaboration, creative problem-solving, and an unwavering commitment to safety and quality, Charter played a key role in bringing this iconic project to life.