University Hospitals MSC Building

Owner/Architect/GC: University Hospitals, EBA, Detail, SSR

Square Footage: 149,100sf

Schedule Variance: July 2022 to January 2023

University Hospitals (UH), a renowned hospital system known for compassionate care and quality research, recognizes the importance of all team members, including those working outside the hospital walls. The University Hospital Management Services Center (UH MSC) is a crucial corporate office housing executives and administrative teams responsible for hospital and patient logistics. This hub manages emergency vehicle deployment, a patient call center, and corporate operations.

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The UH MSC, comprised of two structures built in 1965 and 1995, underwent renovation in late 2020 to better serve employees' needs in a rapidly changing workplace. UH prioritized a diverse and equitable project team, selecting Next Generation, a top Black-owned construction firm in Ohio, as the construction manager. Architecture firm EDA and woman-owned design firm Detail completed the project team.

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As a design-build project, Next Generation focused on understanding UH's vision for success. This meant addressing employee needs, minimizing disruption to ongoing work, and completing the project on time despite material delays. The comprehensive approach aimed to improve both the physical space and overall work environment for UH's dedicated team members.

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RISING TO CLIENTS’ NEEDS

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Before designing any renovations, UH surveyed employees working in the MSC to learn directly from them what an ideal workplace would look like. One of the main takeaways was the need for more functional workspaces to simplify transitions between remote and office work.

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The renovations focused on:

• Reconfiguring the office space to incorporate "hoteling" desks for hybrid work
• Replacing HVAC systems
• Renovating all bathrooms
• Completing a comprehensive aesthetic update of the interior, including:
  • _Ceilings
  • _Walls
  • _Lighting
  • _Paint
  • _Flooring
  • _Countertops‍

Hoteling desks, a concept growing in popularity, allow employees to easily transition between their remote and office workstations. The renovations to the HVAC, VAV, ceilings, and lighting brought significant sustainability improvements to the space by enhancing energy efficiency, improving light reflectance, and reducing noise pollution caused by excessive HVAC systems.

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Next Generation's team self-performed interiors while subcontracting other aspects of the project to qualified contractors.

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THE WORK MUST GO ON…BUT BE QUIET!

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A unique complexity of the renovation was that the building remained occupied by the executive team throughout the process. This posed timing challenges for the construction team, which had to be considerate of certain quiet hours and plan work accordingly to avoid idle time. Communication was key to ensuring that Next Generation respected UH's needs and held all other contractors on the job responsible for doing the same.
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PROPER PLANNING IS PIVOTAL FOR PROJECTS

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As a Construction Management firm, Next Generation understands the importance of timely communication and planning to respond quickly to inevitable challenges and avoid preventable issues. When given tight windows to renovate bathrooms and replace the HVAC system, Next Generation worked diligently with their subcontractors to create and execute a schedule that completed the work as efficiently as possible.

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Despite widespread material delays due to COVID-19, this project experienced no material-related setbacks. Because Next Generation was the design-build firm for the project, they were able to order and store materials well in advance of when they were needed on-site. This foresight allowed them to avoid delays and work the schedule around required quiet hours.

THANK YOU TO AN AMAZING PROJECT TEAM

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This project was successfully completed in winter 2023. University Hospitals entrusted Next Generation with caring for their space and employees, and the team delivered outstanding results.

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Thank you to:

Demo/Abatement: Precision Environmental

Glass & Glazing: Allied Glass Services

Painting: Straight Line Painting

Flooring: The Ohi Floor Company

Ceiling Supplier: Foundation Building Materials

Millwork Estimator: Topcraf

Doors/Frames/HRDW: Cleveland Vicon

Bath Partitions/Lockers: ClevelandVicon

Fire Protection Owner: Fox Fire Protection

Fire Protection Super: Fox Fire Potection

HVAC PM: Cline Mechancal

HVAC Sheet Metal: Sodexo/Roth

Electrical PM: Einheit Electric

Data/IT PM: Premise Solutions

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