Saint Francis Hospital Trauma Emergency Center Renovation and Expansion
Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Saint Francis Hospital Trauma Emergency Center Tower Expansion and Renovation was completed for the Saint Francis Health System’s main campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This unique medical facility is a new eight-story trauma emergency center and 150-patient bed tower addition, which includes a new campus chapel and women’s convent consisting of 451,175 square feet of new construction and 46,000 square feet of renovation to the existing facility. Cantera Concrete was the cast-in-place concrete subcontractor for this project, which includes nearly every facet of concrete construction including both deep and shallow foundations, slabs on grade, elevated structural beams and slabs with structural concrete framing, slabs on metal decking with structural steel framing, concrete paving and curb and gutter, interior and exterior concrete steps and ramps, sidewalks, and cast-in-place concrete walls.
The complex design of this project accompanied by a stringent completion scheduled created many obstacles to overcome. Cantera Concrete placed over 25,000 cubic yards of concrete and a quarter of a million pounds of reinforcing steel within the tight construction schedule in a very compact site while the existing facility had to maintain daily operations. Coordination, communication, scheduling, and cooperation with the General Contractor, owner’s representatives, and other trade contractors was very imperative to the success of this project utilizing three-dimensional computer modeling of all structural members, utilities, medical and sprinkler piping, and security and communication wiring to ensure that there would be minimized conflicts during construction.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)® was also a major factor in this project with a goal of achievinging a LEED® Silver status. Cantera was instrumental in helping the owner meet their goal. Special mix designs with increased fly ash, regionally manufactured materials, and admixtures were created by Cantera and Twin Cities Ready Mix. Highly recycled, environmentally friendly, low volatile organic compounds, and regionally manufactured products were sought for use in the construction.
Safety is Cantera Concrete’s first priority on all projects, and the Saint Francis Hospital Trauma Emergency Center Renovation and Expansion was no exception. Cantera participated with the General Contractor and the owner in an Owner Controlled Insurance Program. Cantera, which self-performed 88% of the scope of work and our key subcontractors, completed over 250,000 man-hours within the requirements of the OCIP program. Cantera prides itself on very detailed safety policies, which include weekly toolbox safety meetings, mandatory safety audits, continual safety training, and a strict substance abuse policy.
As in all projects, Cantera Concrete was vital in providing a quality product for the owner while finding value engineering techniques to make the project more economically viable. Value engineering has become a very successful tool in today’s construction industry and Cantera suggested several different design options and incorporating practices, which saved the owner in excess of $100,000.00 for the cast-in-place concrete scope of work.
Exceptional quality, complex design, restrictive tolerances, minimal construction area, rigorous schedule, and cooperation and communication with clients, suppliers, subcontractors, and peers are some of the obstacles and driving forces that provided Cantera the ability to perform the concrete construction for this very complex project. Cantera is extremely proud to be a part of projects like the Saint Francis Hospital Trauma Emergency Center Renovation and Expansion.