New Main Hospital, Site Park, and Underground Garage Construction Progress Update #15

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1 New Main Hospital, Site Park, and Underground Garage Construction Progress Update #15 Date: January 29, 2010 From: Gary Claar Engineering Services On January 15 th, the contractors met another major milestone date. We witnessed the topping off of the last piece of steel which was placed in the elevator penthouse machine room a couple levels above the 12 th floor. As you may know, we provided several special steel beams which families, patients, and Nationwide Children's Hospital employees could sign and then have them installed on the upper area of the building. The milestone date was recognized by a brief ceremony held out in front of the building as the last piece of signed steel was lifted up to its permanent home with the customary Christmas tree and American flag attached. A number of contractors, visitors, and employees at the hospital attended the ceremony as Rich Scheideman and Jason Rhodebeck from Turner/Smoot Construction shared some brief comments. This date was planned well in advance as yet another indication that the project remains on schedule as we head toward an early 2012 opening. During this last month, there has been good progress as we have seen some of the exterior glass skin installed on the south façade of the building. Also, some of the pre-cast concrete panels have been lifted into place. The exterior glass and concrete panel installation will continue the next couple of months. The goal is to have all the skin of the building installed by early spring in advance of the dismantling of the two tall tower cranes. This work is critical since the excavation of the new two level visitor s underground garage will begin right after the tower cranes are removed. Other work within the building continues w/ concrete being poured on the upper floors as fireproofing follows right behind. I visited the roof level this last Friday to take some photos included in this update. I can tell you that I was not dressed nearly as good as the workers exposed to the cold temperatures on the very top of the building. The contractors continue to put all the effort in to keep things on track regardless of the weather we are encountering. Some of the steel framed stairs are now being installed. The major supply HVAC ducts, steam piping, hot water piping, chilled water piping, main electrical conduits, etc. are being installed as well. Elevator rails, fire rated shaft walls, and many of the metal studs forming the walls in some of the first few floors of the building have been installed too. Should you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me or Scott McClure by or phone. Your comments, questions, and interest in the project are always welcome. Also, as a reminder, you can continue to view progress of the exterior of the building by going onto the hospital intranet web site and going to our construction links to see up to date progress. You can access the site by going to and clicking on the Campus Expansion link. 1

2 Tim Robinson, NCH CFO, along with many other NCH employees and construction workers listen to Rich Scheideman, General Superintendent w/ Turner/Smoot Construction, as he shares a few words about the structural steel topping off event. The customary Christmas tree and American flag was attached to the last beam before it was lifted into place. 2

3 View of the last beam being hoisted and fitted into place below the roof of the elevator equipment penthouse at the very top of the building. As you recall, these last few beams were signed previously by patients, families, and NCH employees. View of the building from the L Garage top level. A significant amount of aluminum curtain wall system and special glass has been installed now. 3

4 View from Livingston Avenue near Ronald McDonald House (left photo). Close of up of two iron workers making some final connections on an upper floor of the south-east stair tower (right photo). View from the roof looking down at the future bridge connector to the J Building (left photo). View of the roof level along the front of the building looking towards the downtown area (right photo). Workers are preparing for a concrete pour. 4

5 The 12 th floor with insulation blankets over the top of the recently poured concrete (left photo). Reinforcing and shear studs being placed on the metal deck of the roof prior to the next concrete pour (right photo). These shear studs help tie the concrete to the structural beams for proper design criteria connections. Glass is being installed on the 2 nd floor. Workers use special suction cups to lift the glass in place. These guys are able to set the glass in place regardless of the temperature outside (left photo). View of the 2 story aviary space with most of the glass installed (right photo). 5

6 Most of the piping extending up thru the building is designed w/ expansion loops since piping moves as it gets hot and cold (left photo). An elevator shaft being installed. It s a long way down to the bottom (right photo). Numerous electrical conduits in the 6 th floor mechanical floor (left photo). Many of the supply and return HVAC ducts are rather large to feed each floor (right photo). 6

7 Aerial photos of the site provided by Turner/Smoot Construction. 7