The NEA Baptist Health System in Jonesboro, Ark. is preparing to open a new facility with a focus on providing integrated healthcare. The new project would call for the construction of a 550, 000-square-foot hospital and adjoining 220, 000-square-foot clinic.
To find a construction company for the project, NEA Baptist Health System conducted a hard bid process. Birmingham’s Hoar Construction proved to be the winning contractor for the job, bringing a host of cost-effective and time-efficient practices to the table. The construction company set out to deliver a modern healthcare facility while minimizing costs wherever possible. Hoar worked closely with subcontractors to limit waste, manage resources and stay on the contract’s schedule.
Hoar Construction has specialized in healthcare and other commercial markets since its founding in 1940. The full service, nationwide contractor now has offices in five states and offers clients top-quality construction management, general contracting, program management, preconstruction and design/build services.
Efficient building practices played a pivotal role in the selection of Hoar Construction. Many components like electrical outlets and plumbing fixtures were prefabricated before installation to save on labor cost and field time. Resources like rebar were ordered to exact specifications before delivery to avoid time-consuming measuring and cutting at construction time.
Project Particulars
PROJECT NAME NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital & NEA Baptist Clinic
VALUE $175 million
CONTRACTOR Hoar Construction
OWNER Perkins + Will
ARCHITECT Earl Swensson & Associates
ENGINEERS: Civil A2H Inc.
Mechanical, Plumbing & Electrical Phoenix Design Group
MAJOR SUBCONTRACTORS TAM Electric, Murray Drywall, MCC Mechanical, White Plumbing
Hoar was sure to save any reusable materials. “On site, we recycled the unused steel as opposed to throwing away the scraps, ” says Senior Project Manager James Dushek. “We also recycled paper.” To reduce the use of paper, project drawings, revisions and requests for information (RFIs) were sent between the office and the construction site electronically.
Hoar Construction also utilized Building Information Modeling to save time and money while avoiding installation errors. “We created a detailed architectural and structural BIM model from 2-D documents, ” says Dushek. “This ‘virtual construction practice’ generated RFIs much earlier in the process than is typical, reducing waste and potential rework.”
The virtual planning allowed Hoar to minimize installation interruptions on site by designing an above-ceiling zoning scheme, designating space for any overhead components.
The new facility will include expanded patient rooms and operating suites, as well as updated technology and services throughout. The $175 million project includes the clinic and the 181-bed hospital, as well as its own central energy plant. The focus on integrated care calls for unique structural considerations, such as locating physician offices on the same level as in-patient units.
The new facility has an anticipated completion date of November 1.
Thomas Little is a freelance contributor to Business Alabama. He lives in Birmingham.
Text by Thomas M. Little
