DVIDS – News – Louisville VA Medical Center site sees more activity as work progresses

Louisville, Ky. — Construction on the new Louisville VA Medical Center being built in Louisville, Ky., has only been underway for five months, but the site already looks very different than it did when it was inaugurated. groundbreaking for Veterans Day last year.

Members of the US Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District VA Division and contractor teams worked hard during the early stages of this megaproject, said Melody Thompson, project manager of the Louisville VA Medical Center.

“We have only just started, but the entrepreneur has mobilized and we are seeing a lot of progress. We are working to have the entire site excavated and shaped roughly to what it will look like when the project is complete,” she said. “We put up the construction fence. We were able to access the site and complete the clearing and grubbing, which now allows us to continue with ongoing activities. We removed the excess topsoil. We are continuing the cut and fill operations. Stormwater drainage systems are being installed and we have started placing crushed stone on the north part of the site for the future north parking garage.

“When we started the actual build, we were given a mostly flat model to work with, and looking at it now you can see the basement taking shape and some areas getting closer to where the entry routes,” she added. . “In addition, we have started work on the foundations of the pier which will eventually serve as the support for the hospital. Site infrastructure has started on the north side of the site and will continue to operate south over the next few months.

Tim Hitchcock, USACE regional engineer for the Louisville VAMC project, added that the site condition at the start of construction helped the construction process.

“Given the amount of land required to build the full-service medical center and supporting structures such as garages, laundry, central utility plant and water tower, finding 34 acres of land requiring minimal prep work was a good start,” he said. . “We were fortunate to have a site without any prior construction, which eliminated the need for major demolition work. It really is a blank site. Most of the prep work has involved removing topsoil from the site which will either be used in other locations or returned to the site when we are ready for planting. »

Hitchcock went on to explain that while the project is still in its early stages, there is still much, much work to be done to complete the approximately $900 million facility.

“We are currently at the start of a very complex installation. The main upcoming features will be the building foundations and structures. There is still a significant amount of technical work to be done in a hospital’s infrastructure, such as medical gases, communications, and monitoring equipment to ensure that veterans get the state-of-the-art facility that they deserve,” he explained. .

As the workload increases, the number of workers on site will also increase, Thompson explained.

“In a project of this size, almost all trades are likely to play a role in the construction. This will involve thousands of activities and a workforce that we expect to reach close to thousands of people on site at the peak of construction,” she said.

Bringing all of these factors together to complete the project was complex, but achievable, Thompson added.

“We have a very ambitious and aggressive schedule to build a sophisticated, state-of-the-art, world-class facility,” she said. “We are building nearly one million square feet, with 51 separate departments and over 100 inpatient beds. All medical projects are challenging with the complexities associated with numerous redundancies in utilities, unique clinical spaces like surgical and imaging departments, medical gas systems, and multiple low voltage systems. And with the recent pandemic and an evolving supply chain.

“All mega-build projects have hurdles to overcome, and this one has been no different with the recent pandemic and changes in supply chains, but we have a great contractor and a great team and we are confident that we can partner together to overcome any of these issues,” she added.

Thompson said knowing that the new medical center will play such an important role in the lives of veterans makes it all the more important that construction be done to the highest standards.

“From a ‘construction’ perspective, we want to make sure that quality is paramount. It’s not just an office space. Medical gas must be suitable – ventilation systems must support a healthy building. Pharmacy requirements must be met – the overall safety/security systems for patients and staff cannot be compromised,” she said. “From a ‘personal’ perspective, my biggest concern is that we don’t lose sight of providing a world-class medical facility to our veterans; one who is worthy to serve them and their families for their service and sacrifice to this country. If we remain focused on caring for our veterans, we will overcome the challenges ahead.

Thompson went on to say that there is added pride in working on this project because of the community connection it represents between the Louisville District and area veterans.

“This is a mega building project in Louisville, in the backyard of our district. We have the great honor of building a facility that will serve the veterans who are our colleagues, our friends and our family. Several members of our team are veterans. Knowing that this facility will exist for 50 years or more gives immeasurable importance to the present moment,” she shared. “What we are doing today will serve thousands upon thousands of veterans for decades to come and it should be extremely humbling for all of us. For many this will be the most important project of our careers. Every day this center medical, literally every day, will not only provide quality health care to so many in need, but it will also rightfully serve and honor America’s veterans.

The project, designed by SmithGroup is being built by Walsh-Turner Joint Venture II, Chicago, Illinois, includes the construction of a new 910,115 square foot medical center, parking structures, a 42,205 foot power plant squares, roads, sidewalks and other site improvements.

The new 104-bed full-service hospital located on Brownsboro Road in Louisville, Ky., will provide world-class health care to more than 45,000 veterans in Kentucky and southern Indiana.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.

To learn more about the project, visit: www.va.gov/louisville-health-care/programs/new-robley-rex-va-medical-center.