Construction Projects Big and Small Are Helping Medical and Data Centers in Their Hour of Need

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With the coronavirus spreading across the country, medical and data centers have become more important now than ever before. Both have become critical in the fight against the coronavirus, with medical centers healing our sick and data centers helping to better understand how we can flatten the curve. Yet, this also means that both types of facilities have become increasingly overwhelmed as they deal with rising hospitalization rates and supply shortages. For some of these institutions, however, they are equipped with brand new equipment and facilities that can help them in their hour of need. From Poughkeepsie to Gainesville, Construction Protection Systems is proud to have been a part of these past construction projects that are helping those on the front lines. 

Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Poughkeepsie, NY 

Located in Poughkeepsie, NY, Vassar Brothers Medical Center is one of the premiere medical centers in the area. Just this past year, it completed a $500 million project that resulted in a 696,000-square-foot expansion of the facility. This expansion included 264 private medical/surgical patient rooms, 30 ICU rooms, 66 treatment rooms, a loading dock, additional parking, and more, thus allowing the medical practitioners at Vassar Bros to help more patients in the Poughkeepsie area. 

Google Data Center, New Albany, OH 

In November of 2019, Google broke ground in New Albany, OH for their brand-new data center. A $600 million project, the Google Data Center will work to keep the internet flowing smoothly and efficiently to provide us the data we need in times like these. Not only that, but the Google Data Center in New Albany will also be matched with 100% renewable energy. 

North Florida Regional Medical Center, Gainesville, FL 

The North Florida Regional Medical Center is a 432-bed care center that just got a little bit bigger. Beginning in June of 2017, the NFRMC underwent several stages of expansion and modernization, including updating patient rooms, adding two freestanding ERs, expanding their emergency department entrance, and more. Completed in 2018, this project has provided more beds and more room for emergency responders to treat their patients. 

Facebook Data Center, New Albany, OH 

In addition to the Google Data Center, New Albany also received a Facebook Data Center in 2019. A $750 million project, the Facebook Data Center helps to control and monitor Facebook traffic. By doing so, they are helping people stay connected to one another while also providing them access to the information that they need to best weather this crisis. 

Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence, KS 

For nearly 100 years, Lawrence Memorial Hospital has been serving the Lawrence, KS area. More recently, however, they’ve undergone a major expansion and renovation to their facilities, specifically their Emergency Department. An $81.6 million project, the Lawrence Memorial Hospital is set to have an expanded waiting room, 12 additional private rooms, three triage rooms, and an upgraded electrical power system.  

Gulf Coast Medical Center, Fort Myers, FL 

In Fort Myers, FL, two hospitals became one with the consolidation of the Gulf Coast Medical Center and the Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center. This consolidation resulted in a brand-new building, featuring 423,000-square-feet of new construction and 25,000-square-feet of renovation. The new hospital now sports many critical facilities, including an emergency department, lab, surgery department, 229 patient rooms, and more.  

At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in these many renovation and construction projects. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system. 

St. David’s Medical Center Is Helping More Patients with Their Recent Expansion

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In order to properly treat their patients, every medical center must have the equipment, space, and personnel that they need on-site. That’s why the St. David’s North Austin Medical Center underwent a recent expansion to provide their patients with the care they need. The project was a massive undertaking, spread out across four concurrent phases and costing $34 million in total. The construction took about 12 months, and during that time the hospital was kept fully functional in order to continue treating patients.

Four phases

St. David's Medical Center Is Helping More Patients with Their Recent Expansion

In 2009, St. David’s went under an $83 million, 175,000-sq.-ft. expansion of the women’s center. The current project renovated and expanded upon portions of that previous project while also constructing additional sections. The entire project was cut up into four, consecutive phases, that included the following:

Antepartum vertical expansion

This expanded the current radiology department, adding an extra 32,000-sq.-ft. as well as 26 patient beds and a relocated mechanical penthouse.

NICU vertical expansion

This took place directly alongside the preexisting neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). 20,000-sq.-ft. in total, in added 20 new NICU bays as well as the relocated mechanical penthouse.

Surgery shell addition

Adding on to the existing building, this phase added 25,000-sq.-ft. It connected the women’s center tower to the operating rooms and sterile core of the existing hospital.

Pediatrics ED and PICU renovations

The final phase was perhaps the most extensive. With 20,000-sq.-ft. in renovations, this part of the project added a new ambulance entrance, exam rooms, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) rooms, trauma room, CT scan and radiology. It also installed a new set of elevators that would transport patients from the first-floor emergency department (ED) to the second floor PICU.

Keeping the hospital fully functional

When renovating a hospital, it’s important to make sure that construction does not disrupt patient care. This was the case at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center. Throughout the twelve months that this project took place, St. David’s remained fully functional. Even when construction was occurring in the most sensitive areas of the hospital (such as the emergency department or the NICU), it remained business as usual. This was accomplished by using a six-inch-thick sound barrier wall to muffle construction noise that was occurring inside of the hospital. The construction team also “used heavy protective plastic and clean suits each time that they moved or modified the sound wall to isolate the work areas.”

Staying on schedule

One of the biggest accomplishments of this project was that it was finished on schedule. As many know, construction projects are often delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. And, indeed, throughout this particular project there were forty days of delay due to rain. However, the construction team was able to recoup those lost days and still managed to finish within the 12-month schedule.

At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the expansion of the St. David’s North Austin Medical Center Campus. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.

Successful Hotel Renovations – Lessons Learned

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Hotel renovations are unique in that hotel properties are generally always occupied while the renovation work is being done. This is a fact of life, since shutting down an operating hotel for renovation is seldom an option due to the need to avoid laying off, re-hiring and training sometimes hundreds of employees, not to mention the lost revenue during a shut-down.

A highly specialized business

Renovating hotels is a highly specialized business that is almost always performed by specialty contractors who travel around the country and engage with hotel chains in often far-flung locations. Usually, hotel renovations involve guestroom, lobby, food and beverage and meeting room furniture replacement, which also can necessitate on-site auctioneering services. Phased demolition usually follows and can be as simple as re-painting, wallpapering and carpet replacement, all the way to wholesale replacement of windows, plumbing fixtures, lighting, mechanical equipment, bathroom countertops and tile, door replacement and security hardware conversions. Renovations can also incorporate ADA and fire/life safety and elevator upgrades and common area, food and beverage and amenity space improvements. The more of these elements that are included in the renovation, the more complex the planning and execution of the work becomes.

Communication with hotel management

Even the purely cosmetic renovations entail a high degree of communication and coordination with the hotel operations management team. Hot buttons for hotel operations start with detailed demolition and construction schedules, approved in advance, for each phase of the work. Of critical importance is the timing and staging of the furniture removal and demolition in such a way as to avoid disrupting hotel operations, especially guests, food and beverage services and back of the house service entrances and loading docks. It is not uncommon for hotel renovations to be scheduled on a floor-by-floor basis with guest security, construction access points, elevator usage, noise and dust control and hours of operation all subject to careful execution of a detailed plan and schedule, approved in advance by the hotel operator. Specialty hotel renovation contractors understand and incorporate these and other specific hot button issues on behalf of their clients if they are to achieve a successful and profitable renovation project resulting in a highly satisfied client and the prospects for future renovation contracts.

Timing is everything

Because new and renovated hotel construction almost always involves furniture removal and replacement, the timing and logistics of moving enormous volumes of materials, and associated dunnage, becomes a major component of a successful hotel renovation project. During this process, protection of large numbers of doors, both existing and new, from damage during demolition, construction and furniture-moving operations is a high priority. 

For many years, we at Construction Protection Systems have partnered with the most reputable specialty hotel renovation contractors in the U.S. and Canada in providing effective, re-usable door protection products. To learn more, contact us today on our website or by phone at 303-740-6700.

UGA’s Business Learning Community Now Complete After 6 Years

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The University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business is one of the most well-known and renowned business programs in the country. It’s why, six years ago, university leaders decided that it was time for a proper community that could foster intellectual growth. UGA’s Business Learning Community will do just that. Completed in July of 2019, the Business Learning Community has been time and effort well-spent.

About the Project

UGA's Business Learning Community Now Complete After 6 Years

The construction for the Business Learning Community first started in 2014, but the idea began in 2013. The purpose, school officials said, was to transform the Terry College of Business by “creating a new learning environment…where students can gather, study, work on projects, interact with faculty inside and outside the classroom, and network with alumni and employers.” The entire project (funded by both the state of Georgia and private donors) totaled $140 million, resulting in six new buildings that stretched across 300,000 square feet in the heart of the campus.

The project was divided into three distinct phases which took a total of six years to complete:

Phase 1: Correll Hall (2013-2015)

Correll Hall (named after alumni Alston D. “Pete” Correll Jr. and Ada Lee Correll) was the first building of UGA’s Business Learning Community to be constructed and completed. With a total of 74,291 square feet, Correll Hall now provides a location for graduate studies and college administration. It has four stories that include 10 classrooms, an innovation lab, a graduate commons, project team rooms, interview rooms, student lockers, and communal spaces for the university community.

Phase 2: Amos Hall, Benson Hall, and Moore-Rooker Hall (2015-2017)

While Phase 1 stuck to just one building, Phase 2 included three, with Amos Hall in the middle and Benson Hall and Moore-Rooker Hall on either side. Each of the three buildings are five stories. On the bottom floors there are two auditoriums, eight classrooms, a capital markets lab, a music business lab, and (since this is a college campus) a bakery café. The upper floors house faculty and staff offices in addition to seminar rooms and project team rooms.

Phase 3: Ivester Hall and Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall (2017-2019)

The final phase of the project wasn’t as extensive as the previous, but it nevertheless included essential elements of the soon-to-be Business Learning Community. Ivester Hall and Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall (named, as were the others, after alumni) are the first buildings to greet you as you enter the Business Learning Community. Both buildings house large auditoriums and classrooms, in addition to offices, labs, and seminar rooms. A few of these include a behavioral lab and the Simon S. Selig Jr. Center for Economic Growth. The two buildings also have a large outdoor space in front, now known as the Coca-Cola Plaza.

Completion

After Ivester Hall and Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall opened in July of 2019. The six-year project came to a close. The last few months of summer included “landscaping, final touches and installing instructional technology in the classrooms.” After this was completed, the entire Business Learning Center was then opened for students, faculty, staff, and alumni to enjoy during the Fall 2019 semester.

At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the development of the University of Georgia’s new Business Learning Center. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.

See the Nation’s New National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility

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Our government works hard to protect us from all sorts of threats. While sometimes threats are easily seen, other times our government has to safeguard us against threats that are not easily seen. Serious animal diseases (also known as zoonotic diseases) can, if not handled properly, devastate our communities. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have teamed up to build a new, state-of-the-art National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). This facility will help us learn more about animal diseases and how best to protect our population from an outbreak.

About the project

See the Nation's New National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility

The NBAF will, according to the USDA, “be the premier center of scientific excellence for the study of transboundary, emerging, and zoonotic animal diseases (those transmitted between animals and humans) that threaten U.S. agriculture economy, food supply, and public health.” In other words, the facility and the people working inside it will study the diseases that transmit between humans and animals in order to best prevent and contain them. The facility will take over for the Plum Island Animal Disease Center while also providing additional capabilities and resources that the previous facility lacked.

The facility

Located in Manhattan, Kansas, the NBAF will be over 700,000 square feet, have over 400 working personnel, and it will act as the nation’s only maximum containment space for large animals. While there will be some office space, the majority of the facility will be used for Biosafety Levels (BSL)—biological laboratories that are designed to insulate contagious diseases, protecting lab personnel as well as the surrounding environment. The NBAF, the USDA claims, will be “one of the most advanced biocontainment facilities in the world[.]”

Why do we need it?

Having a facility like the NBAF is necessary for both our public health and security. Zoonotic diseases (diseases that are spread between animals and people) count for 75% of the new and emerging infectious diseases that are affecting the world population. Without proper procedures, the bacteria for these diseases can wind up in our food sources and water supplies. While some people who are infected exhibit few symptoms, others can wind up seriously ill with even the risk of death.

At the NBAF, however, scientists will be able to study these diseases in order to better protect the U.S. population from an outbreak. They can research potential treatments and find new ways of controlling diseases that we do not yet have a cure for. Plus, thanks to biocontainment features, they will be able to study these diseases safely even in the case of a natural disaster such as a tornado (a common occurrence in a place like Kansas).

When will it be open?

As of August 2019, the NBAF project is approximately 83 percent complete. The construction of the main laboratory began in May 2015 and is currently on schedule for completion in May 2021. However, the facility won’t be operational until all of the proper permits and registrations are received. The estimated date for this is December 2022. Once this occurs, the USDA will start transitioning operations from the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to the NBAF. This transition will be complete by the year 2023.

At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the development of the nation’s first National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.

Douthit Hills Provides the Space Clemson University Needs the Most

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Every university knows the value of on-campus amenities. With more and more people attending college each year, it’s more important now than ever before to have the space and necessities that those future students will need. Clemson University realized this when, in 2015, they had to turn away 850 students who wanted to live on campus.

In order to accommodate the rising number of incoming students, Clemson University went to work on a brand new, on-campus apartment complex named Douthit Hills.

Douthit Hills Provides the Space Clemson University Needs the Most

The entire complex contains seven residential buildings. These feature studio, two- and four-bedroom apartments that contain amenities such as oversized windows, courtyards, and landscaped walkways. Three of the seven buildings are reserved for first year students; the rest, meanwhile, are for upperclassmen who want to remain a part of campus life throughout their four years.

And indeed, having ample on-campus residential space is good for both the university and the surrounding community. Living on campus helps students remain involved in campus affairs, while also reducing town traffic and campus parking issues.

Douthit Hills also provides the necessary amenities for a successful college career. It has ample seating areas for group and solo work, as well as lobby lounges and community kitchens to let students blow off some steam.

At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the construction of Douthit Hills. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield™—the original, reusable door protection system.

5 Tips for Rehabilitating a Historic Commercial Building

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In many cities across the country, revitalization efforts are underway to improve city infrastructures. Local businesses have become an integral part of this, investing in the community through the rehabilitation of historic commercial buildings. While the benefits of restoring these older buildings are seemingly endless (restoring rundown neighborhoods, tax benefits, and cultural appreciation, just to name a few), many of these buildings are dilapidated and require much work.

If you’re thinking about rehabilitating a historic building for your business or commercial enterprise, here are some tips to get you started:

Restore vs. rehabilitate

5 Tips for Rehabilitating a Historic Commercial Building

The first thing you should know is the difference between restoring and rehabilitating a historic building, as many people use these terms incorrectly. Restoring a building means turning it back to how it once looked, removing any modern additions. Rehabilitating a building, on the other hand, means preserving important historical features while making it useful for contemporary needs.

Do your research

While you’ll be adding modern pieces and appliances, you need to make sure that you’re honoring the history of the building as well. The only way to do so is by investigating the original blueprints, owners, time period, and more. If you’re unable to find any records on your building, then research similar buildings that were built in the same period. This will give you a better idea of the architectural pieces you should preserve, and those that can be changed or updated without losing the building’s unique charm.

Repair, don’t replace

Depending on how run-down the building is, you may be limited on how much you can save. Nevertheless, if there’s the slightest chance that you can save something, do. Many older buildings have original pieces that cannot be bought from the store. Additionally, restoring pieces rather than making them from scratch again will save you money in the long run.

Begin with the exterior

When it comes to older buildings, the best place to start is the exterior. Often times, historic buildings have crumbling infrastructures, so if you want the best results, you’ll need to give it a solid foundation before working on anything inside.

Watch out for water damage

As a result of those crumbling exteriors, one of the most common problems older buildings face is water damage. If left unchecked, it can cause dry rot, bugs, and structural damage. Therefore, make sure it gets fixed by walking through your building and checking common areas such as the ceilings, floors, and windows for any signs of water.

While you’re rehabilitating your historic commercial building, it’s important to protect the parts of the building that are still in pristine condition. At Construction Protection Systems, LLC., our door protectors will ensure that the original doors to your historic buildings remain just as they did when they were first constructed. For more information, give us a call at 303-740-6700 today.

Texas A&M International Dedicates New Academic Innovation Center

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Modern ClassroomJust in time for the school’s 50th anniversary, Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in Laredo hosted a dedication ceremony for its state-of-the-art Academic Innovation Center (AIC) in late August, 2019. The innovation center, which has been under construction since 2016 under the guidance of Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, is home to new 21 educational labs and classrooms as well as faculty and staff offices.

The three-story, 500-foot-long building features more glass than any other building on campus, ensuring that “90% of the AIC space is bathed in natural light,” according to TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz. The west side of the innovation center incorporates several architectural elements from the original campus, such as limestone accents, hip-roofs and natural finishes in marble and cherry wood. The building’s east side, meanwhile, embraces a more contemporary design consistent with modernist architecture of the mid-20th century.

“It’s a remarkable structure that truly advances how we define learning at TAMIU,” said Dr. Arenaz during the dedication ceremony. “Technology is integrated throughout the entire building with teaching walls, while the classroom architecture itself is flexible to encourage collaboration.”

According to TAMIU Director of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services Steve Harmon, the AIC will primarily serve as a collaborative learning space for the school’s STEM and engineering programs.

“We really needed to have a space that was really dedicated to STEM and that allowed lots of opportunities for people to work together,” said Harmon in an interview. “there’s just technology integrated throughout the whole complex.”

You can take a virtual tour of the Academic Innovation Center in the video below!

Here at Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the development of this innovative new building on the campus of Texas A&M International University. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield – the original, reusable door protection system.

Georgia Bureau of Investigations Opens New, State-of-the-Art Crime Lab

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Crime LaboratoryLaw enforcement agencies in Georgia’s Coast Plains region will spend less time waiting for forensic testing results, thanks to a new crime laboratory operated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) that recently opened in the city of Pooler. The 64,000-square-foot facility will replace an existing lab in nearby Savannah that is more than 30 years old and roughly one-third the size of the new lab.

“Our goal is to seek the truth, and this will help us get there,” said GBI Director Vic Reynolds during the crime lab’s ribbon cutting ceremony.

While the GBI’s old crime lab in Savannah could accommodate only 26 employees and two doctors, the new lab has enough space for up to 70 employees and five doctors. This added room for growth will allow the GBI to serve local law enforcement agencies more efficiently now and well into the future. According to Governor Brian Kemp, the facility is designed to last “50 years, or so.”

In addition to doubling the capacity for GBI staff, the new crime lab will be able to perform toxicology tests that couldn’t be conducted in the old facility. These tests are designed to measure and analyze the presence of drugs, alcohol or poisons in a person’s body. Prior to the opening of the crime lab in Pooler, toxicology tests had to be sent further away to GBI locations in Augusta and Decatur.

“This is a great day for law enforcement,” said Georgia State Patrol Colonel Mark McDonough in a statement. “It gives us access to crime lab specialists who can do those tests, can testify to the results of them.”

Pooler Mayor Mike Lamb, meanwhile, noted that the GBI crime lab will not only speed up forensic investigations in the region, but also create new jobs for area residents.

At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had an opportunity to play a part, however small, in the development of this valuable law enforcement facility. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield – the original, reusable door protection system.

The New Terminal at SLC International Airport is Taking Shape

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Salt Lake CityThe Salt Lake City International Airport is currently undergoing a massive redevelopment effort that airport officials are calling “The New SLC.” The airport has significantly outgrown its current facilities, which were designed in the 1960s to accommodate less than half of the 26 million passengers it now serves each year. Today, it’s the 23rd busiest airport in North America.

Salt Lake City’s new terminal complex will not only be much larger, but also more efficient and compliant with modern earthquake safety standards. The terminal’s designers expect to obtain LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and they’ve even developed a plan to make the facility generate as much power as it uses.

Salt Lake city Boarding Pass

It’s also interesting to note that no tax dollars are being used to fund the $3.6 billion redevelopment project. Instead, it’s being funded by a combination of federal grants, airport reserves, revenue bonds and user fees.

Now, with just one year left until The New SLC is slated to open, the airport’s massive terminal and south concourse are nearing completion.

The New SLC’s baggage system is already in place, according to local CBS affiliate KUTV, and the jetways that will guide passengers from the concourse to their flights are in the process of being installed. A number of escalators, elevators and moving walkways are being installed throughout the terminal and south concourse as well.

Other quality-of-life improvements at the airport include new parking facilities and upgraded bathrooms with two separate sections that allow them to be cleaned without being closed completely. The exterior of the terminal, meanwhile, was designed to mimic the scenic desert landscape of Utah.

You can get a first-hand look at the airport’s progress in the time lapse video below!


The new terminal and concourse are scheduled to open on September 15, 2020 but work on The New SLC won’t be done just yet. Additional renovations on the airport’s three existing concourses are expected to continue until 2022.

Here at Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the ongoing redevelopment effort at the Salt Lake City International Airport. To learn more, stay tuned for the latest updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield® — the original, reusable door protection system.