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The Bendigo Advertiser is continuing to publish a series of profiles on some of the people helping to build the new Bendigo Hospital.
EDWARD Cramer helped oversee the development of Bendigo's newest hotel.
The Schaller Studio opened its doors on Thursday and boasts 128 rooms, all featuring original artworks by the hotel's namesake Mark Schaller.
The hotel is part of the multi-million dollar new Bendigo Hospital project.
"I'm a project manager for Asian Pacific Group which is the parent company to the Art Series Hotels," Mr Cramer said.
"I've basically been on the project since June last year when we were just going through getting planning authority for our architectural design and getting all the necessary permits and then seeing it through construction and delivering it."
Mr Cramer said the studio-style accommodation was a perfect fit for Bendigo.
"The hotel was part of the deal to build the new hospital," he said.
"We did some research and realised how big arts culture was in Bendigo and it seemed like the perfect fit.
"We went about making the product a bit more affordable because in Melbourne our three hotels are five-star and this studio is probably a four-star product so it brings it to a price point that's probably a bit more attractive.
"So we've tightened the rooms up and pumped a lot of money into the ground floor."
Mr Cramer said building modules off-site had paved the way for a faster build.
Mr Cramer said the most challenging part of the project was working around the logistics of an eight metre high mural.
"We ended up building a steel structure that was 1.5 tonne," he said.
"With the tiles it was pretty close to three tonne.
"The biggest challenge was if it actually flexed in any way when we were lifting it with the crane, it would pop the tiles off.
"So we had to put it on a truck and back to Bendigo without breaking it. Literally not one tile came off. It was an impressive effort."
Keep an eye on the Bendigo Advertiser's Hospital HQ page at www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/hospitalhq/ for the next hospital profile.