A component-design approach, technology and creative thinking saved money, time and delivered a transformative healthcare facility, all while exceeding diversity goals.

BEACHWOOD, Ohio, June 9, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Gilbane Building Company and its construction partners, Regency Construction Services, Inc., Next Generation Construction, and Adrian Maldonado & Associates, Inc. (AMAINC), celebrate the grand opening of University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center Phase 2. The $236 million project nearly doubles the existing footprint of the hospital, which opened in 2011 and was also built by Gilbane.

"Gilbane was entrusted with the responsibility of delivering University Hospitals' vision for their transformative healthcare facility," said Kyle Merrill, Vice President, Cleveland Business Leader, Gilbane Building Company. "Today, we are proud to turn the keys over to UH, knowing that our team – including our many partners – delivered a job well done, safely, on time, on budget, and exceeded our diversity goals."

UH Ahuja Phase 2 includes the UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute, Steve and Loree Potash Women & Newborn Center; UH Cutler Center for Men, UH Breast Center, Emergency Department and Short-Stay Unit and the Surgery Center.

"As an anchor healthcare institution on the east side of Cleveland, we look forward to opening new and expanded services through our Phase 2 expansion and continuing to grow with our community," said Percival Kane, Jr., MHA, Chief Operating Officer, UH Ahuja Medical Center. "We are bringing an enhanced level of patient experience and customer service that reimagines the way healthcare is delivered and creates a sense of ease when it comes to scheduling appointments, seeing physicians and staying healthy."

Given the timing of the project – planning began before the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the groundbreaking occurred in July 2021 – several unique challenges needed to be met to stay on time and on budget, while also meeting diversity goals for contracting and workforce participation, a priority for both University Hospitals and Gilbane.

"Not only did we have to address the health concerns of everyone on the job, but we also needed to deal with disruption in the global supply chain, material shortages and long lead times," said Merrill. "I credit the creative and forward-thinking of our team and strong relationships with our partners for being able to deliver on our promise."

Gilbane and its partners used a component design approach to accelerate the project timeline. The trades and design-assist partners for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, curtainwall and steel were engaged early. Virtual coordination via Gilbane's proprietary scheduling software, SmartSite, helped keep the team safe during the pandemic and increased efficiencies. Additional time and cost savings measures include:

• Re-sequencing the schedule through pull planning sessions to plan for workforce commitments
• Implementing the early drawing release of structural steel to mitigate anticipated escalation costs, including prepurchasing of common beam and column sizes
• Sending the completed foundation package for early bidding to provide greater cost certainty, solidifying contractors before others were out to bid.

In total, the team achieved approximately $26.4 million in value management savings.

Gilbane and University Hospitals also focused on achieving – and exceeding – diversity goals for the project. By contracting with small, local, and diverse-owned businesses as well as ensuring local residents worked on the project, the team was able to increase the economic impact within the region.

As of April 2023, the project exceeded all business and workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Project goals included contracting with diverse firms, including 15% minority business enterprise (MBE), 8% small business enterprise (CSBE), and 7% female business enterprise (FBE). Currently, MBE stands at 16.09%, CSBE is at 10.75%, and FBE is at 11.41%.

Similar successes were achieved in workforce participation goals. Cuyahoga County residents worked 46.73% of the hours on the project, more than double the 20% target. Minority residents performed 17.71% of the hours worked on the project, besting the 15% goal; and women performed 5.95% of the hours worked on the project, beating a 5% goal.

These figures were audited and reported by the Euell Consulting Group, a female-owned, third-party firm, to ensure accurate and true numbers.

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About Gilbane Building Company
Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services – from preconstruction planning and integrated consulting capabilities to comprehensive construction management, general contracting, design-build, and facility management services – for clients across various markets. Founded in 1870 and still a privately held, family-owned company, Gilbane has more than 45 office locations worldwide. Gilbane is one of the most established and leading construction managers in the Northeast Ohio market and averages more than $500 million in revenue in the state annually. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.

About Regency Construction Services, Inc.
In the nearly three decades since our founding, Regency Construction Services, Inc., a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), has completed hundreds of projects for public and private clients across Ohio. With offices in Brook Park and Columbus, our goal is to create environments that provide opportunity while ensuring quality, building trust, and fostering relationships — both for our clients and our team. Regency serves the commercial, healthcare, higher education, PK–12, library, nonprofit, park, and civic markets by specializing in Construction Manager at Risk, Design- Build, General Contracting, and Owner's Representation services. We also offer standalone estimating and scheduling services, and we self-perform rough and finish carpentry scopes of work. What started as a three-person firm in 1994, has grown to a team of a diverse group of nearly 80 professionals, carpenters, and laborers. Learn more at: http://www.regencycsi.com.

About Next Generation Construction
Next Generation Construction (Next Gen) supplies a robust roster of construction services in the Greater Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio markets. Founded in 2009, Next Gen is a multi-faceted, minority-owned business, established to provide carpentry, laborer, and general contractor services initially, and growing into plumbing, metal stud framing, acoustical ceilings, hardware, development, and consulting support services over the last fourteen years. Next Gen strives to build an inclusive and diverse group of construction professionals and has become one of the leading minority-owned construction companies in the Northeastern Ohio market, with over $30 million in revenue annually. For more information, visit http://www.nxtgc.com.

About Adrian Maldonado & Associates, Inc.
Adrian Maldonado & Associates, Inc. (AMAINC) was started in 2007 as a small post-construction clean-up operation and provided consulting services for diversity and inclusion reporting for various clients in the government sector. Over the last 10 years, the company has evolved into providing highly trained and qualified project engineers, safety officers, and superintendents on some of Northeast Ohio's largest projects. In addition, AMAINC is a trusted partner in providing preconstruction and associate construction management Services. AMAINC has a diverse staff which is bi-lingual as well. AMAINC is a signatory company. More information can be found at http://www.adrianmaldonadoandassociates.org.

About The Euell Group
The Euell Group is a full-service strategic supplier, diversity education and consulting firm with expertise in construction outreach, engagement, community liaison, and minority business development, reporting, and monitoring. Professional services in the area of diversity and inclusion training, as well as drug-free safety programs and training, are also our specialties. We are committed to our clients, their business strategies and delivering excellence in partnering on short-list presentations and representation at the highest caliber to bring home the contract. Learn more at http://www.theeuellgroup.com/.

Media Contact

Breanne Auxier, Gilbane Building Company, 312-614-3883, bauxier@gilbaneco.com

Maureen Harper, Falls and Company, 440-665-2856, mharper@fallsandco.com

SOURCE Gilbane Building Company