Innovative metal design choices provide a fresh, modern look for 801 Billiards & Bowling, a new one-stop entertainment venue in Conway, South Carolina

What started as a few ideas and architectural renderings sketched out on a simple piece of paper has turned into Conway, South Carolina’s latest family-friendly entertainment spot, complete with bowling alleys, billiards, party rooms, massive TV screens, bocce, chess, food and cocktails, and more. 801 Billiards & Bowling, with two existing locations in the Myrtle Beach area, officially opened its third space in January 2019 to rave reviews, not just for the food and drink, but for the overall ambience, cool structural details and modern metal design—thanks in large part to HB Metal Builders, LLC, a prominent metal building erection business that counts itself among the elite Star Building System builders in the region.

HB Metal Builders, with its reputation for being able to erect complicated multi-structure metal buildings combined with its status as a Star dealer, was called in to the project early on. Herman Burger, founder and owner of HB Metal Builders and member of Star’s President’s Advisory Council (PAC), explains, “A project like this with different heights and area sizes has the design and installation challenge of requiring seven different buildings to be tied in together seamlessly. There were a lot of important and intricate roof tie-ins involved to create the desired overall look as well as ensuring water-tightness throughout. There has to be a balance of design and function.”

HB Metal Builders gives much of the credit to Michael Sisincalchi, the owner of 801 Billiards & Bowling, for envisioning the overarching design for the Conway facility that is located right across the street form Coastal Carolina University. According to Burger, “Sisincalchi wanted a modern, innovative-looking structure that would make a big splash in the neighborhood.”

Working under the direction of the general contractor, David Victoria of Tungsten Corporation, and architect Robert Miller of REM Design, HB Metal Builders was responsible for supplying and erecting all the metal building needs, including the frame, the roof, and the walls—basically all the metal components throughout the whole envelope. The new construction project incorporated 16,594 square feet of metal roof panel and 3,295 square feet of metal wall panel, with some unique design elements, most notably a “waterfall” design that has become a signature feature of the space.

For its part in the construction, HB Metal Builders used 24-gauge DoubleLok 24” roof panels in Galvalume Plus for the roof, as well as conventional TPO roofing over the kitchen, and 26-gauge PBR 36” wall panels and 24-gauge DoubleLok 24” roof panels, also in Galvalume Plus, for the walls. A creative design approach of using roof panels on the walls helped create the unusual waterfall effect. The GC also incorporated conventional walls into the construction, including brick veneer, hardy plank and a glass storefront.

Innovative Design Choices

Burger describes the process from his subcontractor vantage point. “The architect and GC designed the building. We and the team at Star, most notably Mark Fritz, my Star district manager, and Dennis Harris, Star Engineer, took their design and interpreted it into ‘metal building language’ by creating the main frame in the middle with two side lean-tos that had the bowling alleys and a back area with the kitchen and front entry for the bar. As a Star dealer since 2015, I was well aware of the quality and design of their products, so I was confident in using Star for all the metal building components.”

Among the architectural requirements for this project was a challenging aesthetic component that needed an innovative solution. Burger shares, “The architect wanted the roof and the walls— when you walked from the parking lot to the front entrance—to ‘become one,’ and to create a waterfall look. Typical wall panels don’t look like roof panels, though, so we had to get creative. On the first bay to the front entrance, we actually installed Star 24-gauge DoubleLok standing seam roof panels on the walls so that the ribs would line up to give that free-flowing look. We did the same treatment on the outside patio bar. We also had to create custom trim work to accommodate the unconventional roof/wall tie-ins. They requested hot-dipped galvanized frames on exterior exposed columns and rafters to provide protection from saltwater and mitigate rust—given the proximity to the ocean—and it added to the industrial look.”

Additional Star products included PBR wall panels, which, Burger notes, “were used for the liner on the front entry.” Burger adds there was also an OptiLiner system, which was used in all black for the interior to achieve the desired dark cinema look on the inside, kind of like a movie theater.” Additionally, near the front entryway is a clerestory by the door, for which a pre-manufactured cricket was installed to help with the diversion of water coming down from the main slope on to that area.

Structural Strength Considerations

Beyond just the remarkable design aspects, the structural integrity of the metal panels, as well as a strong warranty, were among the other key reasons to go with the Star product line, Burger explains. “As a metal building erector for over 20 years, I have put up many buildings from Star as well as other metal building manufacturers. I have found that Star products are consistently well-made and well-designed, which makes the installation process easier and more efficient.

“Star helped us solve for all the challenges that we have down here along the Carolina coast, specifically the high wind speed issues that we deal with because of the hurricanes. We have all of these challenges as far as wind uplift, doors and windows. Star is a great choice because I know their buildings will last during a hurricane,” Burger says.

He adds, “I think Star's design team is really, really good and I feel comfortable putting their stuff up.” Additionally, as a Star dealer and erector, many of the HB Metal Building crew members are certified installers, which gives the owner an additional single source warranty beyond the 20-year limited warranty Star provides on all its products. 

Entertainment at its Finest

Due to its innovative design elements and use of Star Building System metal wall and roofing products, the Conway 801 Billiards & Bowling project has been submitted for consideration of Star’s 2019 Master Builder award.

The new construction, which took about a year from start to finish, and approximately 10 weeks for HB Metal Buildings’ installation, has received nothing but praise and positive feedback, Burger shares. “It’s on one of our main streets here in Myrtle Beach and has that new, modern type of look that the owner was going for. I think it turned out well.”