Challenge Design-Build Project Delivery Addressed

The owner chose design-build delivery to lower the overall design and construction cost and to bring a heightened level of accountability to the design phase. As the Southeast Tower’s original program drivers shifted and the location was challenged with site constraints, constructability issues and cost escalation, the design-build team, working with St. Joseph Health, developed a solution that would do more than deliver a new tower ahead of schedule and under initial budget and target cost. The improved solution included revisiting the site location with a program adjusted to consider the changing dynamics in healthcare delivery and reimbursement and that reduced the original schedule and budget.

Summary

The St. Jude Medical Center Northwest Tower project in Fullerton, California, is a model for best practices in team collaboration and project delivery, setting new standards for St. Joseph Health — the 10th largest not-for-profit health system in the United States — and all project stakeholders. Guided by the core values of passion, teamwork, integrity and innovation, the project team’s efforts will have a lasting impact on how challenges are solved and future projects are delivered within the health system and beyond. An integral part of the multi-phased master plan at the medical center, the project included construction of a 200,000-square-foot, four-story acute care building and a 14,000-square-foot central utility plant. A bridge was also constructed at the new tower’s fourth floor connecting it to the existing hospital. Prior to construction of the tower, McCarthy performed seven months of major utility work and demolished an existing medical records building and parking garage. Along with International Parking Design as the architect, new surface parking and street improvements were also conducted, adding 215 parking spaces to an existing 455-car parking structure.

Design-Build Team

Client/Owner: St. Joseph Health Systems with Petra Integrated Construction Strategies
Design-Builder: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Architect: Taylor Design
Engineers: KPFF Consulting Engineers, Psomas
Specialty Contractors: Montanio Design Group, Diele Murawka Howe
Specialty Consultants: Montanio Design Group, RTKL, Newson Brown Acoustics LLC
Other Key Professionals: Southland Industries, SASCO, Rabben/Herman Design Office Ltd., ARUP
Duration of Construction: 38 months
Project Cost: $228,046,424