R.D. Olson Construction Begins Expansion on Lido House Hotel in Newport Beach

The construction firm will build five new cottages and expand amenity spaces on the landmark Orange County hotel
 
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – March 12, 2025 – R.D. Olson Construction, an award-winning general contractor, today announced the beginning of the expansion of the iconic Lido House hotel landmark in Newport Beach, CA. The expansion will include five additional cottages, alongside expanding meeting rooms and adding The Cotton Pavillion, a new 600 square foot event space. This expansion comes at a time when the hotel is experiencing record-level demand.  
 
“It is such a privilege to be able to work on Lido House once again,” said Bill Wilhelm, president of R.D. Olson Construction. “Since it first opened in 2018, it has become an Orange County landmark due to its distinguishable Cape Cod aesthetic paired with its unrivaled service and offerings. We are excited to continue building momentum with the new cottages and expanded amenities.”
 
The expansion of Lido House will be conducted in three phases. First will be the demolition of an old fire station that has remained vacant for years. Concurrently, construction will begin on the Glass Pavilion Building, the Meeting Space addition and Private Dining space at the Mayor’s Table Restaurant. Lastly, the new cottages building will be constructed, marking the entire expansion to be finished by summer of 2026.  
 
Currently, the beachside hotel features five private cottages, tucked behind the main building. Cottages range from 1,100+ – 1,500+ square feet and are three stories tall – easily accommodating large parties like wedding guests, milestone events, and offering numerous amenities including rooftop terraces and fireplaces, exterior lounges with ocean views, private indoor sunrooms, fully equipped kitchens, among others. Each cottage is also named after local islands and takes design inspiration from nautical surroundings.  
 
Construction of the five new cottages will emulate the style of the existing cottages. They will all be constructed under one structure with wood framing, board and batten siding, standing seam roofs, copulas and open roof decks while maintaining Lido House’s contemporary Cape Cod Style Architecture.  These new cottages will be approx. 9,500 square feet with similar residential coastal feel and amenities of the original cottages.
 
The main challenge R.D. Olson Construction will face is discreetly performing construction while the hotel is fully operating. The firm is well versed in limiting operational disruptions during expansion projects; To ensure no interruptions take place, the firm will place eight-foot temporary walls, acoustical insulation and will coordinate construction at certain times to ensure no meetings or events are disrupted.
 
Partners on the project include R.D. Olson Development, The Warner Group Architects, Inc., NBR Architects, MD&R Architects (cottage phase), Praxis Engineering (structural engineering), Tait & Associates (civil engineering), MEC Consulting (mechanical engineering), and Ridge Landscape Architects.
 
About R.D. Olson Construction  
Founded by Bob Olson in 1979 and led by President Bill Wilhelm, R.D. Olson Constructioncommemorates 45+ years of building and is one of the top 40 general contracting firms in California. R.D. Olson Construction is a premier builder of hotel and multi-unit properties for several national hoteliers and developers, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, MBK Living, Related Properties and Meta Housing, and has a robust portfolio of renovation projects including Atria Senior Housing, Chapman University’s Reeves Hall, the conversion of the historic Bank of Italy Building into the Nomad Hotel and more. The firm also has a rich history as a builder of office, retail, restaurant, education, senior living and recreational projects. Learn more atwww.rdolson.com.