By Jeff Moore, President, Greenwood & Moore

Greenwood & Moore is currently completing the Phase 4 construction drawings for the hospital. Phase 4 encompasses the area directly around the new hospital.  In total, there are seven individual construction phases associated with the site Civil Engineering services.  Each phase of construction requires a complete set of construction documents that are coordinated with the work performed in the previous phases of construction.  Had the new hospital been constructed on a “greenfield site” (raw land with no previous development) then only one set of drawings would be required.  The need for seven sets of plans illustrates the challenges and complexity of constructing the new hospital adjacent to the existing hospital.

The seven phases of constructions are as follows:

Phase 1 – Demolition of the existing Pinecone Apartments and Medical Office Buildings

This work was completed in the summer of 2009.  In general, this was a very straight forward scope of work.  Interestingly enough, one the more challenging aspects of this phase of work were relocating the existing doctors who occupied the medical office spaces that were to be demolished.  The amount of design and coordination needed to relocate the doctor’s was immense! Add to the mix, the individual personalities of the doctor’s, different lease terms, differing needs for new office space and a drop-dead demolition deadline, and you get more excitement that a civil engineer is typically used to!

Phase 2 – Construction of the new Helistop, Large Site Retaining Walls, Garage Vehicle Access Bridge and a Temporary pedestrian access bridge.

The work in Phase 2 is referred to as “Make Ready” work.  That is, this work needs to be completed before significant work on the hospital can begin.  The large site retaining walls, pedestrian bridge and helistop were completed in late 2009.  Work on the garage vehicle access bridge continues and is expected to be completed in a few weeks.  From a civil engineering standpoint, the design of the helistop was the most challenging aspect of this phase of construction. This was due to the extensive design regulations set forth by the FAA.  Oddly enough, the design of the ramp leading to the helistop was particularly challenging.  The height of the landing pad above the roadway, airspace clearance requirements and patient gurney maneuverability issues were all pieces of the ramp design puzzle.  When all was said and done the final ramp configuration solved the hospital’s technical requirements.

Phase 3 – New Temporary Ambulance Parking

This work was simple but critical.  In order to facilitate the construction of the new hospital, it is necessary to relocate the ambulance drop-off area for the existing hospital.  This work was completed in late 2009.

Phase 4 – Site Improvements around the new Hospital.

This is a very complex phase of the civil engineering design services.  This phase of work incorporates all of the detailed site construction around the new hospital.  Some of the aspects of the phase of work are

• Soundwalls for adjacent residential areas
• New 18’ high, curved, retaining walls for the outdoor eating area
• Truck loading dock
• Site utilities
• Underground fuel storage tanks
• Underground fire sprinkler storage tank
• Mobile technology (i.e., MRI) trailer location
• Ambulance parking

Extensive coordination with the architect and other design team members is critical to make sure that all of the pieces fit together properly.

Phase 5 – Demolition of Laurel Grove Hospital and New Parking Lot

The demolition of the existing Laurel Grove Hospital and the construction of new parking on the site are the major components of Phase 5.  Currently, Laurel Grove Hospital is physically connected to an existing medical office building to the north of the project.  In order to remove the hospital, it will be necessary to provide minor reconstruction of the adjacent office building.  The removal of Laurel Grove is expected to occur in early 2010.  Its removal is critical to the construction schedule, as the site will be used for temporary construction staging and parking for the next two years.

Phase 6 – Demolition of the Existing Hospital

The removal of the existing hospital – after the new hospital is complete and everything is transferred over — will present some unique challenges.  When the building is gone, there will be a very large hole in the ground that will need to be filled and a foundation that will likely remain intact.   The civil engineering plans need make sure that these structures will not adversely impact the new parking lot that will be constructed on the site of the old hospital.

Phase 7 – Construction of the Main Parking Lot

Once the existing hospital has been removed, construction of the main parking lot can begin.  Phase 7 and Phase 4 are the two most complex parts of the civil engineering package.  The most notable aspect of the Phase 7 civil design is the stormwater control system.  This system provides required treatment to rainwater run-off.  From the public’s point of view, the stormwater control system looks like regular landscaping.  In reality, it is a complex filtration system that helps to keep pollutants and debris out of the public creeks and storm drain system

So, there has been a lot going on in the civil engineering world.  The design process will continue throughout the first half of 2010 until all aspects of the design are complete.

I welcome your comments and questions.