New glass pedestrian bridge is part of new “gateway” to RI’s busiest hospital
Providence, RI—October 30, 2008—Shawmut Design and Construction (www.shawmut.com), a leading national construction management firm, recently completed a three-story, occupied vertical expansion to Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI. In conjunction with architects Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, Inc., and Rhode Island Hospital’s Facility Design Team, the project is designed to improve the patient experience and allow the hospital to meet the future healthcare needs of the community by reinvesting in its infrastructure.
Located above the newest operating room suites and the hospital’s emergency department, crews exercised meticulous sensitivity; as such, the hospital experienced no disruptions in service or experience, yet was completed 5 months ahead of schedule.
The project added three new floors of inpatient beds serving cardiac intensive care, telemetry and general medical/surgical patients, and included the construction of a 140-foot high, cast-in-place concrete shear tower with a connecting steel truss, glass-enclosed pedestrian bridge. The 110-bed patient addition features a glass and masonry curtain wall. Communication and coordination brought Shawmut’s exceptional client service to the forefront, where the project team organized weekly meetings with hospital staff to advise and inform them of ongoing operations. Hospital staff advised the team on ideal times for certain types of work, in order to not interrupt sensitive hospital operations. The project team installed exhaust scrubbers in order to limit machinery fumes.
“Shawmut is proud to have exceeded Rhode Island Hospital’s expectations during this sensitive, occupied project,” said Shawmut’s Managing Director of Healthcare and Science, Tony Miliote. “The project team’s commitment to health care operations and safety raised the standard for construction operations at the hospital.”
Other challenges included the delivery of HVAC equipment, which did not fit in existing elevators. Instead, the project team introduced the system in pieces, placed through a limited “barn door” opening that was bricked back in after delivery of the equipment. Steel erection called for the closing of nearby Culver Street in order to facilitate crane logistics and a Saturday boom raising tightly coordinated with Ambulance traffic to the Emergency department. Shawmut’s laydown area was located adjacent to the active Hasbro Children’s Hospital emergency department and its pediatric imaging center; a combination of temporary construction and a valet service allowed the hospital to maintain their high level of patient service. Understanding the hospital’s concern for any possible water damage, Shawmut waited to remove the old roof until the new roof was completed.
As a result of Shawmut’s quick and successful turnover, Rhode Island Hospital was able to complete additional training for all hospital departments in the space’s new technologies, and invited the project team to consult the hospital on a smooth and efficient occupancy of the new space.
About Shawmut Design and Construction
Shawmut Design and Construction is a 100% employee-owned company headquartered in Boston with offices in New York, Providence, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and New Haven. Shawmut is a leading ENR top 100-ranked national construction management firm providing client-oriented services in the following markets: Academic, Commercial, Corporate Interiors, Cultural and Historic Preservation, Healthcare and Science, Gaming, Restaurants, Retail, Spas and Health Clubs. For more information, visit Shawmut’s website at www.shawmut.com.
