With more than a dozen major business, residential and retail projects underway in the downtown Bellevue area, the opening of the second-tower expansion at Hyatt Regency Bellevue could not have come at a better time.

The Ambar stone steps of the grand staircase are a welcoming sight for guests as they enter into the newly expanded Hyatt Regency Bellevue. The $185 million project by the Kemper Development Company was unveiled Friday at a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the official opening of the Olympic Tower. The second-tower expansion offers 351 new guest rooms and suites, bringing the hotel’s grand total to 733 rooms in all.

A top feature of the new expansion can be found on the 20th floor. Measuring at nearly 18,000 square feet, the Grand Ballroom incorporates a 23-foot ceiling, 48 custom drop-glass chandeliers and state-of-the-art technology.

“When envisioning this new tower, we wanted to make sure every detail was covered, from the color on the walls to the overall mood of the interior space,” said Dan Meyers, the vice president of design and construction for The Bellevue Collection. “It was important to us to ensure both towers would blend smoothly, from one end of the hotel to the other, creating a unifying flow between the two. We didn’t create a second hotel, we simply expanded on what was already here – a great hotel and meeting space.”

For slightly smaller venues, the 13,755 square-foot Evergreen Ballroom on the lobby level was designed with high-end finishes and custom light fixtures. This year’s fashion show, Front Row Fashion, presented by Vogue magazine during Bellevue Fashion Week, will take place in the Evergreen Ballroom, featuring slanted seating and a full-blown runway presentation.

“This gorgeous space opened at the perfect time,” said Cheryl Engstrom of The Bellevue Collection. “Having access to these amazing ballrooms and hotel space will allow us to expand on Bellevue Fashion Week year after year. It’s a very exciting time in Bellevue right now.”

Catering to the downtown Bellevue business sector, the Olympic Tower includes The Executive Auditorium, a sloped 135-seat space created for presentations or seminars. The theater-style space is equipped with THX® surround sound and individual power stations. Seven conference suites are located down the hall from The Executive Auditorium, designed for small business meetings in a separate space apart from the guest room. The space includes a six-person conference table, wet bar and wall-mounted flat screen TV.

The new tower also includes two VIP suites, including a 1,500 square-foot Chairman Suite decorated with black-and-white photos reminiscent of old Bellevue and the leaders who paved the way for the city.

“We wanted to give this suite a piece of Bellevue’s past so that whoever stays here, from out of town or local, they will get the true sense of what Bellevue is all about,” Meyers said.

A two-story Koa wood accent wall lines the interior entranceway into the Olympic Tower from the hotel’s signature Wintergarden lobby space. Hand selected artwork from local and national artists line the walls of the lobby, complimenting the Northwest contemporary feel of the overall space.

Featured artwork include pieces from artist Jessica Bodner who designed a 10-foot tall antique bronze “Beehive Chandelier,” and Amber Brookman who created a colorful and abstract 60-piece “Primal Squares.” In addition, the hotel features a prominent 9-by-12-foot oil on canvas by Michael Schultheis and three wood-carved statues by local artist Steve Jensen.

In addition to the opening of the new tower, Hyatt Regency Bellevue’s Cascade Tower underwent a recent renovation to all 382 rooms.

“The addition of the second tower just adds to the overall appeal of the Bellevue Hyatt,” Meyers explained. “This was a three-year project that has finally come to fruition and we are very pleased with how it turned out.”

Lindsay Larin can be reached at 425.453.4602.