Expedited Project Ushers Patients in Ahead of Schedule
The expansion project on the Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi–Shoreline new patient care tower, which broke ground in July 2016, was completed 41 days ahead of the contracted completion date.
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX—Construction is now complete on Christus Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi–Shoreline new patient care tower, a multi-building, multi-phased project. The facility includes a level two trauma center–the only one in a 12-county area.
The expansion project, which broke ground in July 2016, was completed 41 days ahead of the contracted completion date, according to general contractor McCarthy Building Companies Inc.
“The project had an aggressive schedule but the project team worked hard to plan ahead and was able to have concurrent activities,” Preston Cope, project director for McCarthy’s Houston Division, tells GlobeSt.com. “The project was producing ahead of schedule for eight months. This allowed the McCarthy team to pre-test for the Texas Department of Health inspection, which is atypical, and allowed for Christus Spohn to plan to open the facility and see patients ahead of plan.”
Part of the hospital’s master facility plan, the new 400,000-square-foot 10-story tower significantly adds to the hospital’s capability in providing care for patients. The tower consists of a new expanded tech-leading emergency department and trauma center including four ultramodern trauma bays, imagining facilities, 200 new patient rooms, endoscopy suite, full dietary services and graduate residency spaces with other clinical and procedural departments. In addition to the tower, a new central utility plant and multiple renovation areas totaling more than 12,000 square feet were completed with this phase of the master facility plan.
“We are very proud of the team’s excellent client services and capabilities in executing this large and complicated project ahead of schedule,” said Jim Stevenson, McCarthy Houston division president. “Through extensive planning and collaboration with trade partners, the team was able to maximize flow and efficiency in the building process while working through challenges including a craft labor shortage and Hurricane Harvey.”
McCarthy teams spent a significant amount of time coordinating with all partners to meet the project goals. Teams utilized building information modeling and colored coordination drawings to help crews understand production goals and coordinate work within the building.
Furthermore, months of planning, testing and construction verifications were conducted by the project team to prepare the new tower for the Texas Department of Health inspection. McCarthy and its trade partners conducted multiple pre-testing scenarios to ensure all testing would be accepted. In addition, one last round of visual inspections was conducted to ensure there would be no issues discovered during the final inspection.
McCarthy used the latest technology including laser scanning in renovation areas prior to the start of work to locate existing utilities and integrate existing conditions into a coordination model, and critical areas such as the operating rooms documented the as-built condition of the new space before closure of walls and ceilings. McCarthy also used infrared scanning including thermal imaging on existing hospital exterior enclosures to confirm conditions and note any potential issues for repair before the start of work.
The firm also utilized BIM for mechanical, electrical and plumbing coordination which allowed for prefabrication elements. Prefabrication allowed for the fast track schedule and enhanced the safety and quality aspects of the installation.
And, virtual mockups using Revit and 3D goggles prior to construction allowed user groups to get a feel of the space before building physical room mockups.
“These state-of-the-art facilities truly elevate the level of care available to all South Texans and makes Corpus Christi home to the region’s most advanced facility, an innovation that will benefit the lives and well-being of generations to come,” said Osbert Blow, president, physician and chief medical officer for Christus Spohn Health System.
Corpus Christi is a center for petro-chemical manufacturing, large-scale fabrication, marine research, maritime shipping and tourism. Its tropical climate and premier healthcare facilities enhance the city’s growth and economy. The Port of Corpus Christi is the fifth largest port in the United States in cargo tonnage, according to NAI Global.
In addition to the newly completed Shoreline patient care tower and Hector P. Garcia Clinic, some of McCarthy’s healthcare projects include Christus Trinity Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler expansion, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Alkek Hospital Expansion in Houston, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center-the Pavilion expansion in Houston, the Children’s Health Specialty Center 2 Plano and the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center Replacement at Fort Hood, TX by a Balfour Beatty/McCarthy joint venture.