Colorado Floorworks Delivers on Large-Scale Shower Conversion at 37-Story Hyatt Regency Convention Center in Denver

December 1, 2025

A high-rise renovation of 1,100 guest bathrooms showcases the efficiency and adaptability of Oatey’s QuickDrain linear drain system.

Problem

DENVER, COLORADO — In the heart of downtown Denver, the Hyatt Regency stands tall next to the Colorado Convention Center, hosting thousands of travelers each year. Known for its modern design, conference amenities, and Rocky Mountain views, the hotel decided it was time for a major guest-room upgrade—one that would enhance both form and function.

The plan is to transform 1,100 traditional bathtubs into modern walk-in showers. Consistency is essential given the tight dimensions and varying plumbing conditions throughout the 37-story hotel guest bathrooms, and any drainage solution must be highly adaptable.

To manage the scope and complexity, Hyatt brought in Milender White Construction Company, a nationally recognized Colorado-based builder with over 25 years of experience in delivering complex commercial and residential projects as the general contractor. Milender White then tapped Colorado Floorworks, a Colorado-based flooring and shower systems subcontractor with over three decades of experience managing high-volume commercial renovations. The firm is known for navigating logistical challenges while delivering high-quality installations on tight timelines.

“We’ve worked on projects across the western United States, but this one definitely stood out in terms of both scale and complexity,” says Scott McReynolds, General Manager at Colorado Floorworks. “Every move we made had to be coordinated around hotel operations, guest comfort, and delivery schedules. There wasn’t a lot of room for error.

“At any given time,” he continues, “the Hyatt Regency operates at around 90% occupancy, which means most rooms are used nearly every night. Renovating an entire guest floor under those conditions meant we had to carefully plan every phase to minimize disruption.”

Initially, the plumbing plans called for a commonly known prefabricated shower system that relies on a specific waterproofing approach—a product often used in similar renovations. As the project details solidified, it became clear that this system might not be the most efficient or cost-effective for this number of units and timeline.

At the suggestion of Oatey’s Hospitality Sales Manager Randy Peyton, Milender White and Colorado Floorworks began evaluating the QuickDrain linear drain system as a more efficient and cost-effective alternative. QuickDrain has gained momentum in the hospitality space due to its universal design and fast installation process.

“We did mock-ups with both systems and ran the numbers,” says McReynolds. “What stood out about QuickDrain was how much time and labor we could save. You’re talking about thousands of hours across a job of this size. That’s a big deal.”

The results were convincing. QuickDrain’s components weighed significantly less, making them easier to move throughout the 37-story hotel, eliminating several time-consuming steps during installation. The switch ultimately resulted in substantial savings in material and labor savings.

“QuickDrain checked all the boxes: cost, speed, performance,” adds McReynolds. “Once we had buy-in from the client, we were ready to move forward.”

Solution

With the project scope and specifications finalized, Colorado Floorworks began preparing to roll out the newly selected QuickDrain system. The team attended a hands-on training session led by Oatey technical experts, including Peyton, ensuring that every installer was familiar with the product’s nuances and equipped to maintain consistency across all 1,100 guest rooms.

It may have been the project team’s first time working with the system, but the learning curve was minimal.

“We didn’t want to go into a project of this size without the proper prep,” says Lance Feland, Senior Operations Manager at Colorado Floorworks. “The training made a big difference. The system is intuitive, and once our guys had hands-on time with it, things really clicked.”

The project team installed the QuickDrain ShowerLine linear drain system, which includes an integrated PVC linear drain body, pre-slopped shower panels, and a range of waterproofing accessories that together form a complete, engineered shower solution. Designed for new builds and renovations, the low-profile drain is compatible with standard 2-inch outlets—an important factor for Hyatt’s existing plumbing configuration.

Each bathroom features a curbed walk-in shower with large-format tile on the floor and 3″ x 12″ tile on the walls, which required precision in slope and water control. A linear drain allows for a single slope, minimizing grout lines and eliminating the need for a four-way slope in the shower pan.
Additionally, QuickDrain’s stackable spacers made it easy to align the drain height with the finished tile surface, maintaining a clean, professional finish across all installations.

To match the modern flooring, the team used QuickDrain’s Tile-In decorative drain cover, which blends seamlessly into the shower floor for a streamlined look. The trough extensions and trimmable drain covers also allowed for wall-to-wall linear installation in each space, even with minor layout differences from room to room.

In approximately 900 rooms, the existing drain location didn’t align perfectly with the new layout. Rather than rework plumbing, the crew made adjustments on site using drain extensions and elbow fittings. The system’s flexibility made these changes straightforward and helped avoid delays.

“Flexibility is one of the big reasons QuickDrain worked so well for us,” says Feland. “It’s not locked into one drain setup, which is huge because every shower’s plumbing is a little different. We could make quick adjustments on site without having to redo a bunch of prep work.”

Another key factor was using Oatey’s pre-sloped shower panels made from extruded rigid PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic foam. These lightweight, shatterproof components are constructed from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles, supporting sustainability goals. Their use eliminated the need for traditional dry-pack mortar beds, reducing installation time by up to two days per unit. For architects and specifiers, these recycled materials may also contribute toward LEED certification—a valuable consideration in many commercial renovations.

The team paired QuickDrain’s drain and pan with a liquid-applied waterproofing membrane provided by a separate supplier. This flexible approach allowed Colorado Floorworks to integrate familiar waterproofing practices with the new shower system.

“QuickDrain gave us a flexible, complete system that worked with the tools and materials we already knew,” explains Feland. “That made the install process feel natural for our crew.”

In large-scale commercial renovations like this one, success hinges on time, coordination, and repeatability. QuickDrain’s combination of lightweight components, on-site customization, and ease of installation proved instrumental in helping the team stay on schedule while meeting the high standards set by Hyatt and Milender White.

Adds Feland: “When you’re working on a job this large, with this many variables, you need a product that adapts to you—not the other way around.”

Results

At the time of our reporting, Colorado Floorworks had installed approximately 160 showers in just over a month, well within the project’s 13-month target timeline. By developing a repeatable workflow, the team has maintained consistency while hitting tight turnover dates for each floor.

“Once we hit our stride, we were turning over full floors on schedule,” explains McReynolds. “That’s critical for the hotel because they rely on those rooms being available as soon as possible.”

The time and labor savings quickly validated the system change. QuickDrain’s simplified waterproofing steps and integrated components translated to faster turnaround and fewer callbacks than the previously specified method.

“Once we started working with QuickDrain, our installers quickly adapted and appreciated the ease of installation. The process became more efficient as we moved through the project. Compared to other systems we’ve used, QuickDrain required fewer steps, which helped us maintain consistency and speed across all installations.”

Durability and long-term reliability were key considerations from the outset. Colorado Floorworks partnered with a local distributor to run pull tests on the QuickDrain shower pan setup to identify the best waterproofing approach for the system.

One of the tests took 275 pounds of force before the drain assembly failed—an impressive result, especially considering the system is designed for compressive strength, not tensile. “That’s not what these drains are built for, but the performance was way beyond what we expected,” says Feland. “It really gave us peace of mind about how well it’s going to hold up over time.”

“From a performance standpoint, we’ve been really impressed,” he adds. “It’s durable, it drains beautifully, and there’s very little maintenance. That’s exactly what a hotel like this needs.”

For Colorado Floorworks, the Hyatt Regency renovation has reshaped its approach to shower systems on large-scale projects. While they’ve worked with a range of products over the years, QuickDrain has now become a go-to solution for tub-to-shower conversions.

“If we’re in a position to specify the system ourselves, QuickDrain is absolutely at the top of our list,” McReynolds says. “This project proved that it delivers speed, cost, and quality across the board.”

As the Hyatt Regency Denver renovation continues, the team remains on track to complete all 1,100 rooms within the original 13-month timeline. Guest feedback has been positive, and the hotel has maintained its high occupancy rate throughout the project—a testament to the thoughtful coordination and product choices behind the scenes.

“This system helped us stay on track, stay on budget, and deliver the quality the client expects,” says McReynolds. “That’s a win in every category.”