Michael W. Vergari

Building Statistics

General Building Statistics:

• Building Name: Center For Health Research and Rural Advocacy

• Location & Site: Geisinger Hospital Campus at Danville, Pennsylvania
              100 North Academy Avenue
              Danville, Pennsylvania 17822

• Building Occupant: Geisinger Health System Services

• Occupancy / Function Types:
Office and Conference Space (First and Second Floors)
Auditorium and Support Space (Lower and Ground Floors)

• Size (Total Sq. Ft): 67,200 Sq. Ft.

• Number of Stories Above Grade: 3 (Ground Floor thru Second Floor)

• Total Levels: 4

• Primary Project Team:
Owner: Geisinger Health System
Website: www.geisinger.org
Architect: Ewing Cole
Website: www.ewingcole.com
MEP & Structural Engineers: Ewing Cole
Website: www.ewingcole.com
Geo-Technical Engineers: GEO-Science Engineering Company, Inc.
Website: n/a
Civil Engineers: Borton Lawson
Website: www.borton-lawson.com
General Contractor: Geisinger Health Systems Facilities Administration
Website: www.geisinger.org

• Dates of Construction:
Planned: July 11, 2005 (Start) – February 28, 2007 (Finish)
Actual: July 18, 2005 (Ground Breaking) – January 24, 2007 (Substantial Completion)

• Cost Information:
Overall Project Estimate: $18,387,000
Building: $11,683,594
Sitework: $1,847,276
Infrastructure: $2,952,000

• Delivery Method: Design-Bid-Build

 

Building System Information:

Architecture:

The Center for Health Research and Rural Advocacy will connect directly to the Weis Research Center, a predominately beige brick and CMU constructed facility. The design of the CHRRA counteracts the beige brick of the Weis Center, through the use of a “high tech” appearance of an aluminum curtainwall system. The research center slices through the medical campus with its arching glazed façade and lack of harsh corners. The project features a link between the adjacent research facilities on the ground floor, keeping the researches out of the chilly Pennsylvania winters. Upon completion, the CHRRA will be the prized architectural achievement of the Geisinger Hospital Campus. The four level multi-use facility will house numerous clinical, epidemiological and health services researchers, as well as large conference spaces and a 300 person capacity, full functional auditorium. Bordering the auditorium is an open two-story café with an outdoor terrace. The roof of the auditorium will be a roof garden similar to those designed by Le Corbusier, overlooking the café terrace at the ground level. A large, two-story multi-purpose room is located adjacent to the connection point between the Weis Research Center and the new CHRRA. The fit-out of the Weis Research Center includes the demolition of the mechanical room on the lower floor, and replacing it with offices and restrooms.

Building Envelope:

The finished aluminum curtain wall system with glazing at the main lobby entrance, and west stairwell will consist of structurally reinforced .125” thick extruded aluminum framing with glass infill panels of typical size 4’ x 9’-6”. The color will be an Architectural Class 1 clear anodic coating. The remaining aluminum wall system, which is the majority of the project, is made up of a two glass system. The insulating glass is spliced by 1” thick strengthened float glass with reflective coating. These reflective glass panels are also used above the windows on the west façade. 6” Architectural Precast Concrete panels are used to accent the glazing at the west stairwell, ranging in sizes and shapes from square 4’ x 4’ pieces to rectangular 8’ x 4’ pieces. These panels are specified to match the color, texture, and finish of the Weis Building. The remaining façade consists of a 2” metal panel system fastened to 16 gauge metal framing. These metal panels will be 2” thick and typically 1’ x 13’ fabricated from 22 gauge G90 galvanized steel. There are seven metal wall louvers at the mechanical room which are also finished to match the aluminum anodic coating of the curtainwall system.

The roof of the CHRRA utilizes ¼”/ft. tapered insulation to channel the water into the nine roof drains. 60 mm Sarnafil membrane covers with the polyisocyanurate rigid roof insulation tapered to match required slope.

Construction:

Constructing on a hospital campus has many challenges, and this project is no different. Parking and transit routes for the patients and doctors can not be disturbed, requiring the re-routing of Center Street and relocation of a parking lot. Existing utilities on site are abundant, with the CHRRA building footprint sitting on the water main loop, telecommunication lines, storm water, and sewage lines. All of these may not be shutdown at all during standard hospital operation hours and must be closely coordinated with the hospital facility. It is a phased construction, with the auditorium being constructed before excavation is complete, due to the need to relocate Center Street. The connection to the Weis Research Center and fit-out must be closely monitored and coordinated as well.

Zoning:

Commercial: Site located on Geisinger Medical Campus

National Codes:

2003 International Building Code
2003 International Mechanical Code
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leed Requirements
National Fire Code

Electrical:

Power supply comes into the new research facility at 480/277V standard from the Plant Engineering Building. A 1500/1750KVA transformer, located in the electrical substation room, is used to feed the substation 2500A, 480/277V supply power. The substation serves nine distribution panels utilizing the three phase service. An additional four dry 300KVA transformers are to be used to step down the voltage to 208/120V for the main distribution panels. All circuit breakers and switches for the project are three pole.

Lighting:

Numerous lighting fixtures specified for the research center, ranging from standard incandescent lamps, to compact fluorescents, tubular fluorescents (T-5 & T-8), metal halide lamps, and HID lamps. The auditorium, conference rooms, and multi-purpose space use centrally controlled continuous dimming tubular fluorescent ballasts with light output of 100-1%. The open office areas employ similar ballasts, with light output of 100-5% for daylight harvesting. These types of dimming controls are used for the sustainability and LEED rating of the project.

Mechanical:

The mechanical side of the project is extremely challenging. Two cooling towers, currently located on-site, serve the Weis Research Center. These towers need to stay completely operational throughout construction, and will be relocated to the roof of the Weis Research Center upon completion of the CHRRA. The mechanical support system of the CHRRA will also serve the Weis Center. The new mechanical system will use 4 variable fan speed Air Handling Units, each with ½” coiling coils and 5/8” heating coils ranging in size from 27,000 CFM to 4,000 CFM. Three, 500 ton capacity, variable frequency drive water chillers will service the two buildings. A complex refrigerant recovery system will have the ability to monitor, test, and purge all refrigerant. There are four designated mechanical spaces servicing the two buildings, three rooms in the CHRRA and the Weis roof. Extensive re-piping work is to be done in the Weis Center for hot and cold water, high pressure steam, and condensate return. The distribution piping is made of copper type L, hard temper and of typical sizes 1” to 4”, riser piping made of black steel for sizes larger than 10”.

Structural:

The structural system for the Center for Health Research and Rural Advocacy consists of structural steel columns, beams, tubes, and pipes. Columns are spaced approximately 20’ x 30’ and range in sizes from W10x54 to W12x79. Column footings are typically 7’ x 7’ or 8’-6” x 8’-6” and are 1’ in thickness. The structural beam sizes in the open office areas are W16x31 and are a larger W21X101 in the auditorium. The basement floor is a 5” concrete slab on grade with the intermediate floor systems being 6” concrete slab reinforced with 6x6-W2.9xW2.9 welded wire fabricate on top of 2” 20 gauge metal decking. The research center employs a combination of typical shear connections, with moment connections in the typical open office space.

Fire Protection:

A hydraulically designed sprinkler system is used for fire protection at the CHRRA. Sprinklers service no more than 225 square feet in the office and open areas, and no more than 130 square feet in mechanical spaces. Concealed quick response heads are used in finished ceiling areas and are designed for use in 155oF temperatures. Sprinkler piping is made of black steel typically 2” in distribution areas and 6” in riser piping.

Notification system includes addressable heat and smoke detectors, standard manual pull stations, and electro-magnetic door holders. There are also two LCD annunciators located at the main entrance and nurse’s station.

Telecommunications:

The telecommunications has not been included in the architect’s original contract drawings or addendum #2; however I have spoken with the project manager and he is expecting the communication systems to be addressed in addendum #3.

Transportation:

Two, 50 square foot hydraulic passenger elevators are located adjacent to the main entrance and service the four levels of the project. The elevators are to have a 4,500 lb capacity, have a speed of 100 feet per minute with the maximum travel distance being 43 feet. The cabs are to be engineered and drawn by the selected contractor with stainless steel front panels and doors, and plastic laminate rear and side panels. Elevators are to be isolated from the building structure through flexible connections and neoprene isolators for vibration control.