TORRANCE, CA-McCarthy Building Companies Inc. expects to start erecting structural steel soon on the new $300 million, 398,350-square-foot, seven-story Torrance Memorial Medical Center Replacement Tower. The new tower is taking shape on the existing medical center site at 3330 Lomita Blvd., where excavation and shoring for the new construction is nearly complete, according to an announcement from McCarthy. The company says the tower’s structural steel is scheduled to begin in October.
McCarthy is the general contractor for the 256-bed replacement project, which began construction in February 2010. The project entails construction of the patient tower as well as a basement to house a central utility plant and a tunnel connecting the existing hospital to the new facility. Twelve new elevator systems and two exit stairs will be installed, and a 2,770-square-foot emergency generator building along with underground fuel oil storage tanks will be constructed on site.
Before construction could begin, McCarthy re-routed existing underground utilities servicing the tower around the new tower’s footprint. A new entrance to the existing facility was also built to allow for patient access from a new direction while the tower is under construction.
Designed by HMC Architects, the tower will be the new front door of the medical center, and the centerpiece of the campus. The new tower increases, consolidates and reconfigures the inpatient, outpatient and acute care functions of the medical center campus to better serve patients and staff.
The new tower will incorporate significant sustainable features equivalent to the same standards required of a LEED silver certified structure. Craig Leach, president and CEO of Torrance Memorial Medical Center, comments that, “Once completed, the tower will be unmatched locally in its energy and environmental design efficiencies.”
Patrick Peterson, McCarthy project director, notes that McCarthy is using a combination of delivery systems. Design-assist will be incorporated to deliver the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, structural steel, and framing, while design-build will be used for the exterior skin, elevators and fire protection system.
Erik Chessmore, McCarthy project manager, adds that, “Because of the project’s unique challenges, construction will be multi-phased to alleviate disruption to the existing facility." He adds, “We will be setting the new tower’s central plant equipment in the basement prior to steel and concrete topping out. Furthermore, due to the hospital’s proximity in an operational urban site with limited access, a detailed logistics plan will be utilized and close coordination with the hospital and subcontractors will be required during erection and build-out of the tower.”
Topping out of the structural steel is slated for February 2012, with project completion by November 2014.
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