Case Study: Hammerhead™ Aluminum Flood Log System – Don CeSar St. Pete Beach, FL
“We needed more than just flood protection — we needed a partner who could help us protect the legacy of this building. Garrison’s team understood that from day one. Their engineering, responsiveness, and customization exceeded our expectations.” - Don CeSar Team
Client:
The Don CeSar Hotel, known as the “Pink Palace,” is an iconic 277-room Mediterranean Revival-style resort located in St. Pete Beach, Florida.
Opened in 1928 by developer Thomas Rowe, The Don CeSar was designed as a luxurious seaside escape inspired by the grandeur of Mediterranean villas.
During the Jazz Age, it attracted celebrities, dignitaries, and the elite, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
During World War II, the U.S. Army purchased the hotel and converted it into a sub-base hospital in 1942, later serving as a Veterans Administration office.
The building fell into disrepair and faced demolition in the 1960s before being saved and restored by the community. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and reopened as a hotel in 1973.
Today, The Don CeSar is not only a luxury destination with fine dining, spa services, and Gulf-front amenities — it stands as a symbol of Florida's architectural and cultural heritage. Its iconic pink façade and elegant features make it one of the most photographed hotels in the state.
Challenge:
In late 2024, The Don CeSar suffered extensive damage from back-to-back hurricanes — Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton — which delivered record-breaking storm surge and sustained high winds to Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Floodwaters inundated the hotel’s lower floors, damaging restaurants, guest amenities, pool areas, and critical infrastructure including mechanical and electrical systems. The pool area was buried in sand, and many back-of-house operations were compromised.
The dual impact of these storms forced the hotel to close for several months — the most prolonged closure since its post-WWII restoration.
As part of a large-scale renovation and resiliency effort, the hotel’s owners sought to prevent this type of damage in the future, without compromising the historic architectural integrity of the structure.
The building’s age, unique structural elements, varying opening sizes, sill conditions, and its listing as a historic site required a flood protection system that was both customizable and discreet, while providing verified engineering performance.
Goal:
To safeguard the Don CeSar against future flooding and storm surge while maintaining its historic status and architectural character.
To find a flood barrier system that could be customized for nearly 100 unique openings — across multiple areas with different base flood elevation (BFE) requirements — without visually compromising the landmark’s aesthetic.
To select a partner with engineering expertise, experience in high-profile and complex installations, and the manufacturing capacity to deliver high-quality, precision-fitted solutions.
Solution:
After an extensive evaluation of multiple flood mitigation systems, The Don CeSar selected the Hammerhead™ Aluminum Flood Barrier System by Garrison Flood Control.
The decision was driven by Garrison’s proven engineering, successful installations in complex environments, and their ability to produce detailed shop drawings and .DWG architectural design files for seamless coordination with the hotel’s architects and engineers.
Manufactured at Garrison’s facility in Pompano Beach, Florida, the Hammerhead system was customized to protect 94 separate openings across the historic property and pool kitchen areas.
Protection heights varied based on FEMA’s Base Flood Elevation (BFE +1 ft) requirements — ranging from 5 planks (3.125 ft) to 11 planks (6.87 ft) — with opening widths between 3 ft and 16 ft.
Each opening was custom engineered to accommodate varying wall and sill conditions across the hotel’s diverse structures. Garrison also provided custom end posts, seals, and anchoring systems to ensure watertight protection.
To preserve the hotel’s appearance, custom caps were created for the support posts, finished in color-matched pink to match the hotel’s signature color or white for sill-specific areas. These details allowed the system to blend in without distracting from the hotel’s historic design.
Summary:
The Don CeSar’s leadership prioritized a long-term, architecturally sensitive solution to mitigate the risks of future flooding without altering the character of their treasured property.
Garrison Flood Control’s stackable Hammerhead™ Aluminum Flood Panel System delivered on every front: performance, customization, engineering support, and design integration.
The project successfully balanced historic preservation with modern resilience, ensuring the Pink Palace remains protected for future generations.
Watch The Don CeSar Case Study Video
St. Pete Beach, Florida
The Hammerhead™ Aluminum Flood-Log System is constructed with industrial 6063-T6 anodized aluminum, with 316L marine-grade stainless steel hardware for maximum durability and corrosion resistance.
Garrison™ Flood Control is a leading manufacturer and distributor of a complete line of flood control products. Garrison products contain, divert, and re-route water away from valuable property, equipment, infrastructure, and facilities and help prevent flood damage due to rising water levels.
For additional information about Garrison Flood Control Systems, please call 929-299-2099 or email sales@garrisonflood.com.
