Building Statistics

General Building Data

Building Name: Cancer Institute
Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania – Hershey Medical Center
Occupant: Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Function Type: Cancer treatment, research, and outpatient care
Number of Stories above Grade: 5 (5th floor is a mechanical penthouse)
Total Number of Levels: 6
Primary Project Team:
            Owner: Penn State Hershey Medical Center (www.hmc.psu.edu)
            Owner’s Consultant: Centerline Associates (centerlineassoc.com)
            Construction Management Agency: Gilbane Building Company (www.gilbaneco.com)
            General Contractor: Wohlsen Construction (www.wohlsen.com)
            Architect: Payette Associates, Inc. (www.payette.com)
            Associate Architect: Array Healthcare Facilities Solutions (www.blm-architects.com)
            Structural & Civil Engineer: Gannett Fleming (www.gfnet.com)
            MEP Engineer: Bard, Rao + Athanas (www.brplusa.com)
Dates of Construction: November 2006 to December 2008
Overall Project Cost: $82,000,000
Project Delivery Method: Design-Bid-Build, Construction Management Agency

Architecture

Design and Functional Components:
            The Cancer Institute is a 5-story medical treatment and research facility that will tie in to the existing Hershey Medical Center.  It is part of a phased expansion plan for the hospital, with new construction all designed to compliment one another in terms of aesthetic value.  Currently a parking garage is being built nearby, and in a few years construction will begin on a Children’s Hospital that will adjoin the Cancer Institute.  It achieves a modernized appearance both inside and out through the usage of high-end finishes and equipment.  Radiology treatment is located in the basement, with research, outpatient care, and offices on the above floors.  Also unique to the structure is a “Healing Garden,” open to the outdoors and designed to aid in patient therapy and recovery.

Applicable Codes:

• Life Safety Code NFPA 101-2000
• Health Care Facilities NFPA 99-2000
•  “Guidelines for Design & Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities”- 2001 Ed.
• International Building Code 2003
• International Existing Building Code 2003
• International Energy Conservation Code 2003
• International Mechanical Code 2003
• International Electrical Code 2003
• International Plumbing Code 2003
• International Fuel Gas Code 2003
• International Fire Code 2003
• Air Conditioning and Ventilating Systems NFPA 90A-2000
• Accessible and Usable Building Facilities ICC/ ANSI A117.1-1998

Zoning:

• Building Occupancy Classification- Mixed Use, IBC 12/ NFPA B, Separated
• Type of Construction
  • Existing Building: 1A, Assumed/ I (332)
  • New Construction: 2A/ II (111)

Building Systems

Structural Steel Frame- The superstructure utilizes steel bay construction with mostly moment frame connections.  However, central to the structure and found at alternating column lines are three braced frame systems carried from the first to the fifth floor.  Girder and beam sizes vary throughout the structure.  Girder sizes typically range between a W18x26 and W27x84 on the first floor, to a W18x65 and W24x76 on the upper floors, all spanning lengths of 31 feet.  Beam sizes throughout all floors are predominantly W16’s and span from 26 to 29 feet.  Columns, meanwhile, fall between a W14x43 and W14x90.  Elevated floors are composite concrete slab on metal deck.  To assemble the bay sections, one mobile crane will be used, which will run along the East façade of the building beginning at the North end.

Cast-in-Place Concrete- The foundation system uses pile caps and grade beams atop load-bearing foundation micropiles.  Grade beams will be poured directly with no forming, though the pile caps will require stick-built forms for Ground floor concrete pours are critical to the project, as the radiotherapy equipment is found here.  A 36” floor slab, depressed at locations for the linear accelerator and brachytherapy units, is coupled with 40” dividing walls and a 60” ceiling, both encased with lead bricks.  Placement requires two successive pours and metal formwork to facilitate construction of this critical wall type.  Elevated slabs will require the use of a concrete pump for placement.

Mechanical System- The ventilation system for this facility utilizes three central supply air handling units. AHU-C/A-1 is found on the ground floor and services the ground, first, and second floors, and averages 130,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm).  The two remaining units, AHU-L-1 and AHU-L-2, are sized at 55,000 cfm, and both provide cooling and heating to the third and fourth floors.  These units will provide air to approximately 400 constant volume or variable volume boxes located throughout the building.

Electrical System- Two high voltage loop circuits feed all of PSHMC, which branch off a substation located in the southeast corner of the campus.  The Cancer Institute will run on a 15 kV feeder, delivering power on a 3 phase, 480V / 270V circuit.  Emergency backup power will be supplied from a 450 KW, natural gas-powered generator located on the mechanical penthouse.

Masonry- The exterior wall system utilizes granite and limestone cladding in to compliment the curtain wall facade.  Limestone veneer is found on the upper floors, with a standard brick size of 7’-9” x 1’-6”.  Granite masonry is kept to the first floor façade and used in conjunction with the limestone bricks are curtain wall storefront.

Curtain Wall- The wall system of the building is predominantly an aluminum curtain wall with glazing to match the nearby parking garage curtain wall, currently in early phases of construction.  Though the design was developed by Payette Associates for both of these projects, connection details are dependent upon the selected manufacturer.  Some difficulties can arise in this aspect since no standard construction method exists.  For this reason, details for the curtain wall system are pending design verification with the parking garage project.

Building Envelope-  The Cancer Institute will tie in to the existing Emergency Delivery area of the hospital at two locations, with the central “Healing Garden” between the hospital connections.  The remainder of the building features glazed aluminum curtainwall façades, with areas of dimensional limestone cladding.  The first floor utilizes granite cladding in conjunction with the aluminum storefront and glazing.  The roof combines a built-up asphalt system with EPDM membrane enclosure, in preparation for future construction of a green space atop the main lobby.  The lobby also features two unique skylights that protrude above the roof space, clad in sheet metal and functional to the modernized look of the exterior front façade.