BUILDING STORIES
Seton Specialty Receives Makeover
The Seton Specialty Hospital project involved design and construction of a new acute care facility on a 3.5 acre site. The 64,422 square foot facility includes 74 patient rooms, support spaces, three nurse stations, physical therapy, pharmacy, lab, radiology, CT scan, and central energy plant along with shell space for the future addition of 10 patient rooms. Architectural, structural, and civil services for this design-build project were provided by BSA Lifestructures of Indianapolis. Mechanical/Plumbing design and construction services were provided by Lee Company and electrical design and construction services were provided by Gaylor, Inc.
This project required specialized experience in hospital design, fast-track scheduling, long-term acute care patient needs, nurse call systems, medical gas systems and general hospital construction practices. All of this experience was applied in the execution of the work.
The primary objective for the design-build team was to develop an approach to the project that would ensure the shortest possible duration from commencement of the design until occupancy by the owner while maintaining the integrity of an acute care facility.
In order to facilitate rapid commencement of the work the civil and structural design had to be completed well in advance of the architectural design and put out for bid. The civil and structural packages were under contract and work started two months prior to the completion of the architectural design. This approach required extensive coordination and communication between the design team as changes often affected work underway on the jobsite.
Another key component of the project was constructing the building without disturbing the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Due to the neighbors, the construction team was restricted to work hours between 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Saturday. Jobsite security was also a primary concern as the surrounding neighborhoods had several households with children. The team had to ensure the jobsite conditions were well protected after hours so any potential trespassers would not be exposed to safety hazards.
Another aspect of the project worth noting is the rigorous quality control measures utilized to ensure that all work was compliant with the standards required in hospital construction while maintaining the aggressive schedule. Much effort was expended in conducting in-wall and overhead inspections, focusing on items such as proper fall in waste and vent piping, proper sealing of through-penetrations in rated wall assemblies, isolation of copper pipe from metal studs, completeness of pipe and duct insulation and overall appearance of all aspects of the work. All non-conforming work was adjusted to comply with the level of quality outlined in the project specifications.
