Spectrum Health, Gerber Memorial

ISSUE

22

FEBRUARY 2014

Construction Update Newsletter

New Views Spectrum Health - Gerber Memorial

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT In this section of New Views, we have focused most of our attention on the safety of our workers on the project site, but just as important is the safety of patients, visitors and staff in the building. Our current project, the Emergency Addition, is almost a standalone building with little impact on the flow of patient care. Soon, though, Elzinga & Volkers will renovate the main lobby of the hospital, which will directly affect patients and visitors coming to the facility.

In anticipation of this, our team and the project team from Gerber Memorial have started reviewing phasing plans and scheduling “off shift” work to maintain safe access to healthcare at Gerber Memorial.

Upcoming Milestones

»» Emergency Addition Roof Complete P »» Emergency Addition Metal Panels Complete »» Emergency Addition Drywall Complete

Executive Summary The Push is On!

When wall board starts to be hung, there is usually a little lull in overall activity on the project as the drywallers take up a lot of space on the project site…but this is not the case at Gerber Memorial! The trades are firing on all cylinders to complete work in and around the new emergency addition.

On the first floor, D9 Systems is busy installing gypsum wall board and sound batt insulation. To save time on the project, we actually have two different crews working from opposite corners of the building. With finishing being installed, the building is starting to come alive. Meanwhile, crews from River City Mechanical and Highpoint Electric focused their attention on completing work in the basement and large lower level mechanical rooms.

On the exterior of the building, we are preparing to restart excavation and site work for the new ambulance drive and parking lots that surround the new ED. The winter did not do us many favors and a couple lasting reminders of the season are the large piles of snow that need to be moved and the slick frost under our feet. Luckily, we have anticipated both of these issues and have contingency plans in place to work around each one. Mother Nature may continue to hit us with nasty weather in March, but we are ready to fight back.

- John Parker, Project Manager jparker@elzinga-volkers.com

www.elzinga-volkers.com

Project Progress Photos

QUALITY CONTROL Before covering up piping in the walls, trades like River City Mechanical use compressed air to test for leaks. Air is pumped into sections of pipe and a gauge monitors the pressure over time. If air pressure drops

Sound batt insulation installed at interior partition

during the test, there is likely a leak in the system.

If pressure is maintained, the piping is tight. As you can imagine, it would be a huge headache for us to find out we have a leak after the walls are complete. These tests are a requirement on large commercial projects, but it is a good practice for plumbing projects of any size.

Corridor wall board partially hung

Above ceiling mechanical rough-in being installed

www.elzinga-volkers.com

Two Week Look Ahead ED Addition: The wall board crews, or D9 systems, have certainly established their presence on-site and will continue to do so in the next few weeks. They will continue hanging wall board throughout the space and finishers will mobilize to the site to begin finishing the wall board in preparation for the painters.

Dimension Four Painting will follow behind the wall board finishers applying primer and the first coat of paint. E&V Firestop Solutions will work alongside the painters, sealing off above ceiling through-wall penetrations. Down on the lower level, River City Mechanical and HighPoint Electric will continue their rough-ins as well as tie up above ceiling rough-ins on the main level.

- Jordan Gougeon, Asst. Project Manager jordang@elzinga-volkers.com

Project Progress and Major Milestones

Lobby Complete ED Complete Endo Pre/Post Complete ED Enclosed ED Groundbreaking North Parking Lot Complete

AHU-1 main valves and pump installed in the lower level

Did You Snow ?

From January 28 to February 1, 1977, a massive snowstorm with winds of up to 45 miles per hour struck Buffalo, New York.

Previous storms had already left packed snow on the ground; even Lake Erie was frozen. The result was intense cold, zero visibility and strong drifts.

Three airplanes on the tarmac at the Greater Buffalo International Airport in Cheektowaga were waiting to take off when the blizzard hit. One idled for five minutes, which resulted in the nose wheel freezing, preventing the plane from turning around. Since the limited visibility blocked the pilots from seeing the airport traffic controllers on the ground, it took several hours with radio communication to bring the three airplanes back to the terminal.

The storm cemented the city’s reputation as the blizzard capital of the country. By the time it ended, 199.4 inches (16.6 feet) of snow had been dumped - the record snowfall in one storm for that season.

www.elzinga-volkers.com

1977 Buffalo Blizzard

Endo Pre-Post Start