UPMC - Magee Womens Hospital - Womens Care Birthing Center

Several months of preconstruction were necessary because of the complicated, heavy phasing involved in this project. Mobilization of phase one, the 6,000 square foot office fit-out on the fourth floor, did not begin until August of 2013. MEP upgrades throughout began at the same time. Phases two through ten included the 5,000 square foot renovation of the women's locker room, and the Women's Care Birthing Center of 20,000 sf on the second floor.

The birthing center presented many challenges because of the sensitive occupied environment and our limited access. In the 30 room LDR suite, we were only permitted to shut down three rooms at a time, which severely limited our forward progress. Constant daily communication with our superintendent and the birth center unit director helped with scheduling our work around their patients and deliveries. ICRA level four was implemented to ensure patient safety.

Additionally, another challenge was coordinating the transfer switch over from the existing AHU unit to the new one that was being installed to supply active ORs. Bi-weekly UPMC "Working Group Meetings" with user groups, and the facilities staff greatly enhanced the overall communications during the project. Overall, the project included WCBC upgrades, office space, nursing stations, PACU bay, patient monitoring unit, locker rooms, ICU nursing stations and WCBC corridors.