Story Medical's Construction Story

The Big Move is almost here!

2009-08-10T12:35:00.004-05:00

Story Medical is almost done with construction at it's new South Campus! The clock is installed in the clocktower, and construction crews are busy getting the ambulance garage complete. Other final deatils and the deep cleaning will happen this week.

The big move will begin on Thursday, August 13th and be complete Sunday, August 16.

The ER and patient care areas will move on August 16th. If you have an emergency after 6am on August 16th, please use the new South Campus ER located at 640 South 19th Street in Nevada.

Almost Complete

2009-07-17T16:34:00.003-05:00

The South Campus is almost complete - just a few final touches before JE Dunn passes the keys on to us! The asphalt is all poured and there are now a road that runs between the main entrance and the emergency entrance shown here. The south road that loops around the medical center is for emergency vehicles only.

The entire hospital needs cleaned once before the open house and then again to sterile and make it ready for patients. Those cleanings are happening now and will continue to go on over the next few weeks.

Come see for yourself at our Sneak Peak Open House on July 26th from 1-4pm!

Outpatient Area Complete!

2009-07-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

The Outpatient Clinic and Surgical Services department is almost complete. Here's a photo of the Pre-Op area which will soon have curtains dividing all of the patient bays.

In addition, you can see that the Acute patient rooms are finished. All rooms will have custom-made blinds that open from the top and bottom. This will allow patients natural light in their

rooms while still having privacy.

Parking Lots Are Partially Paved

2009-07-07T12:28:00.003-05:00

The concrete work is done and the asphalt is being laid for Story County Medical Center's new parking lots and driveways. A HUGE improvement from the North Campus residential location, Story Medical's South Campus will have plenty of parking for patients, visitors, employees and guests!

The main entrance for the Medical Center will be off South 19th Street on the west side of the building. The emergency entrance will be off G. Avenue on the north side of the building.

Signage Goes Up!

2009-05-31T17:34:00.004-05:00

The signs are up! It's official - the building on the corner of S. 19th and G Ave. in Nevada is Story County Medical Center's new facility. Story Medical choose the clocktower design specifically to use the tower as a LARGE sign for the medical center. After 8 hours of installation all four signs in the clocktower were installed. Monument signs at the entrances and the Emergency sign over the ER should be installed soon!

Mock Patient Room Almost Complete

2009-05-10T15:01:00.005-05:00

The patient mock up room is almost complete. This room will be used to help administration and nursing staff decide if the planned patient room layout will actually be the best for our patients. Once the mock up room is finished and approved, the other rooms will be completed.

As you can see the vinyl wood-look flooring and tile in the bathroom are in. The first coats of paint are up and the equipment needed for the bed-docking station is installed. Story Medical is working with a window covering company to make custom blinds that open from the top for the HUGE patients windows. This will allow sunshine into the rooms without taking privacy from the patient.

Generator Delivery

2009-04-15T17:17:00.002-05:00

At 9:30 a.m. today a semi truck carrying the generator for Story County Medical Center’s replacement facility arrived at the construction site. The generator marks another milestone for the construction of Story Medical’s replacement facility, scheduled to open August 3rd of this year.

“The generator for this building has the capability to run every single socket and piece of equipment, should a local power outage occur,” said Tim Hurley of JE Dunn Construction. “The medical center chose this generator over smaller models for that reason.”

A crane lifted the generator, held up by thick bands that balanced it while in the air. The crane slowly lowered the generator while workers centered it on the concrete slab.

Down the road....

2009-04-15T08:49:00.023-05:00

A lot has been going on in April! Painting has begun in the acute patient rooms, flooring is going down in the Emergency Department, and sidewalks are being poured behind the southwest corner of the building. On April 15th (today!), the generator will be put in place by a crane at 9:30. Look for pictures of that event to come! For now, see what has been going on at the very busy construction site.

Workers pour the cement for the sidewalks on the southwest side of the building. These sidewalks will lead from the employee parking lot to the building.

Accent walls in the acute patient rooms are a calming green or blue to complement the neutral cream color of the rest of the walls.

The flooring tiles are laid in the Emergency Department. Rails on the walls have also been installed. The flooring is an ivory tile with blue accents (as seen in the upper right hand corner of the picture below) and darker cream on the right side.

This beautiful skylight over the nurse’s station in Acute will give lots of light and warmth to all who walk below!

In like a lion!

2009-03-11T08:08:00.014-05:00

March came roaring in like a lion at the construction site, in a good way! Painters began working in the administrative wing, and the glass for the front lobby wall was delivered and put into place. This is great news for the front of the building- the front doors can finally be installed. Here are some pictures taken on a visit on March 3rd, exactly FIVE months from the grand opening!

Glass is installed in the front wall of the lobby, allowing a great view for visitors and patients during registration, visiting the gift shop, or enjoying a cup of coffee in the cafe.

A glass door waits patiently to the side until it can be installed in the lobby.

The cafeteria gets drywalled. This view looks into the kitchen, which will soon be separated from the cafeteria by sheetrock walls.

What does it take to control electricity in a hospital? A big electrical room! This is a view of just half of the electrical room.

2.20.09: Bits and Pieces

2009-02-20T09:43:00.021-06:00

A lot is going on out at the construction site! A majority of the hospital has been drywalled, and some parts are even getting primed for paint. Construction is right on schedule (maybe even ahead of schedule!) and the crew is working away.

A painter smooths the sheetrock and prepares an interior wall to be painted.

A look at the new cafeteria. You can see the window with doors out to the patio!

If you didn't believe me that the last picture was the cafeteria, here is your proof- two microwaves set up for the crew.

This is a view of what will be the kitchen.

This is the paramedics suite. Straight ahead is their shower and changing area. The doors on either side lead to their sleeping quarters.

A close up view of the paramedics shower.

01.29.09 The Walls Come Up!

2009-01-29T14:09:00.016-06:00

The construction crew began hanging drywall earlier last week, turning the inside of the building from a maze of beams into a what is looking like a real hospital with walls and rooms. Just a couple of weeks ago, you could look from one end of the hospital all the way to the other side, but now, there are hallways, closets, and offices in the way. A report from Story Medical's Administrator/CEO Todd Willert earlier this week showed that construction is still right on schedule!

The front hallway, right inside the main door.

Keeping people connected- this inside window allows our staff to keep in touch, yet still have the privacy they need to get work done.

Insulation! Piles and piles of insulation wait to be installed to keep Story Medical warm in the winter and cool in the summer. We want our facility to be as energy efficient as possible!

Hellllllooooooo! This long hallway keeps all pieces of Story Medical connected.

This is a front view of the administration wing. Remember the stair steps from the aerial view? These corner windows will give our administration staff a great view of all the patients and visitors coming to Story Medical.

We can't get over how big these acute patient room windows are. Last week, a staff member commented, "Might as well have made it a door, it's so big!" You can see the sun shine through the windows onto the building materials inside.

The awning is up and awaiting the windows and walls to be built to enclose the lobby. What a beautiful building!

01.16.09 -20 degrees and still making it happen!

2009-01-16T11:34:00.003-06:00

Frigid temperatures can't hold us down! Temperatures of -20 degrees Farenheit made it bitterly cold all across central Iowa. To keep warm, our construction workers used these heaters in the open spaces.

12.18.08: Christmas comes early this year!

2009-01-16T11:13:00.007-06:00

The team of constructions workers enjoy a Christmas meal prepared and delivered to them by Story Medical in thanks of their hard work.

Because of the special electric work needed for all of the special equipment, the radiology department is the last of the concrete to be poured.

It's hard to see in this picture, but the red markings above the beams indicate where smoke detectors will go in this hallway. The plans to keep every patient, resident, employee, volunteer, and visitor safe start long before anyone steps foot inside.

12.2.08: Cold and snow can't stop us!

2009-01-16T10:14:00.008-06:00

The first snows of season can't stop contruction out at the building site. A tent is placed over parts of the building so workers can stay on pace.

A flag flies over the clocktower as seen from the emergency room entrance.

The grand entrance to the next part of your story with Story Medical!

11.24.08: The clocktower is complete!

2009-01-16T08:47:00.020-06:00

A crane places the icing on the cake, and the clockertower is complete!

Today resulted in some great aerial shots as Samantha Houston, Director of Communications and Employee Relations, rose above the clocktower in a boom lift.

Here you see the bird's-eye view of the new acute wing. The acute wing is in the most northeastern part of the facility.

The helipad is located to the west of the north extending arm of acute.

The new patient rooms boast private bathrooms and oversized windows for the comfort of our patients. You can see the sun coming through the window frame in this picture, providing natural light to help with the healing process of our patients.

Here you see the north side of the administrative wing. The administrative wing is on the southeast side of the building, and will house the business office, medical billing, communication and employee relations, and of course, administration!

Here, you can see the emergency entrance and the helipad. Separate emergency and main entrances and parking lots allow for easier access to the part of the hospital that YOU need to get to.

The shadow in the lower right-hand corner is from the acute wing.

And last, but not least, a view to the east of the hospital, with plenty of room for expansion as we grow in the future!

11.20.08: The clocktower nears completion

2009-01-16T08:38:00.003-06:00

The clocktower, a symbol of Story Medical's replacement facility, is almost finished! The clocktower will overlook the main entrance to the hospital and boast Story Medical's new logo in the bordered sides.

The top of the clocktower waits on the ground to be hoisted to the top.

11.10.08: Topping Out Ceremony

2009-01-15T15:52:00.009-06:00

Members of Story Medical and the construction crew braved a cold November day for the "topping out" ceremony. The practice of "topping out" a new building can be traced to the ancient Scandinavian religious practice of placing a tree on the top of a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits of their ancestors that had been displaced. Story Medical's ceremony included the traditional tree and flag being raised with the beam.

In this picture, Samantha Houston, Director of Communications and Employee Relations for Story Medical, stands with the construction crew before the flag and tree are raised.

George Klyn of U.S. Erectors makes his way down after successfully placing the flag and the tree.

10.30.08: The concrete is poured for the helipad!

2009-01-15T15:41:00.004-06:00

Today, the concrete was poured for our helipad, the only hospital-based, onsite helipad in all of Story County. Situated right next to the Emergency Room, emergency medical helicopter crews
have close access to the landing pad to transport patients including Mercy One, Iowa Health’s Life Flight or Air Care from Iowa City.

Story Medical's current helipad is located at the Story County Fairgrounds, foricing incoming and outgoing emergency crews to drive patients from the medical center to the fairgrounds in the situation transfer by helicopter is needed. The on-site helipad at the replacement facility eliminates the time and resources needed to transport patients to and from the helipad.

The new helipad is just another example of how Story Medical's replacement facility is designed with patients in mind.

Long time, no see!

2009-01-15T15:37:00.002-06:00

As the weather has gotten colder, blog posts have gotten slower. We've been busier than ever at Story Medical, but we certainly haven't stopped taking pictures to update you on the construction of our beautiful replacement facility!

Today, we will catch you up on the last few months of construction. Each blog post will have a date so you can follow the timeline. With a new intern in Communications and Employee Relations, we will be able to update you more often this coming spring when things really start to come together!

Thanks for your interest in Story Medical!

Brick work has started!

2008-10-29T13:08:00.004-05:00

Bricklayers have started to put the face on the building at the new Story County Medical Center on South G Avenue. Roof work is also being completed, as well as the cooling and heating towers have been set on the roof. The biggest news is the birth of the "only" helipad in Story County. The frame work is complete and is waiting for fresh concrete to be poured in the next several days.

This will be my final posting to the Story County Medical Center blog. I have been graced with an opportunity to move on, but I will miss each and every one of you. Especially those I have cared for. May God bless you, and take care.....Michael J Doyon

A little rain must fall!

2008-10-15T15:33:00.009-05:00

Construction continues at a brisk pace with the majority of the concrete being completed last week. Construction workers continue to put up interior walls, and hang exterior insulation panels. Believe it or not, it's starting to look like a real building. The Nevada area received over an inch of rain in the last 24 hours which has slowed things down a bit, but....as in life...we will move on.

Looking at the north side of the ER entrance from South G Avenue

Administration offices for Todd Willert, Julie Schreitmueller, Ellen Hinrichs and Jane Ramthun.

Exterior view of adminstrative offices

Work continues!

2008-10-02T12:57:00.004-05:00

Concrete workers place "mud" over the top of conduit pipe. Phase 2 of a 4 phase concrete project. A good portion of the underground plumbing, and electrical work has been completed. Now all we have to do is wait for the curing process which usually takes about a week to complete. More walls also seem to be going up in a rapid fashion. JE Dunn states they are still on track to have the building enlosed by Halloween.

The arches to the ER entrance are really starting to take shape.

We have walls!

2008-09-17T12:09:00.007-05:00

After what seems an eternity, the walls are finally starting to go up. Steel workers are busy hanging verticle metal studs which will eventually be walls. Yea!!

Concrete workers from Jensen Builders are placing 1" limestone rock around all the pipes to provide a solid foundation for the concrete that will be poured on Tuesday.

Can you believe the assortment of pipes that go under a hospital? Who knew?

Workers are erecting a column which will help support the awning in front of the Emergency Room entrance.

It's starting to take shape.

2008-08-21T10:28:00.003-05:00

A lot of progress has been made over the last 2 weeks. Iron workers are busy setting up columns, as well as roof trusses. Plumbing, and electrical sub-surface work is also being completed. More to follow.

Video Update

2008-08-06T12:24:00.003-05:00

Steel arrives today!

2008-07-31T15:45:00.003-05:00

Steel roof trusses as well, as post's have arrived via truck today. Dramatic changes are in store in the next few weeks, as our new hospital is starting to take shape. Over the last two weeks, a lot of work has been completed. Much of this has been below the surface, such as concrete work, electrical, and plumbing. The pond's are also disappearing thanks to the concrete pipe that is being placed around the property. I know I have been promising a video, and hopefully soon. Check back next week.

Caution: Utility Work In Progress

2008-07-19T13:27:00.003-05:00

With the completion of the foundation reinforcement. The utility work is now under way. Storm sewer, water main, and sewer pipe is being placed. Jensen Builder's is also onsite starting the concrete footings for the building. I know I have been promising a new video, but it just hasn't worked out well due to scheduling. I'll try to post one this week.

Subsurface Constructors have arrived!

2008-07-13T11:37:00.003-05:00

Subsurface Constructors has arrived on the job site to complete the soil reinforcement preparation on the foundation. Soil reinforcement is the process of injecting rock in to the foundation, to firm the soil. Look for a video posting on Wednesday.

Picture Slideshow

2008-07-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

Enjoy the slide show.

Pink Ribbons!

2008-07-10T10:20:00.005-05:00

So, what does the foundation of a hospital look like before concrete is poured? It has a lot of pink ribbons! The wooden stakes with pink ribbons attached, are grid markers. Grid markers are used to determine where certain items need to be placed, such as electrical, as well as plumbing. Who knew....

McAninch Construction Pulls Out!

2008-07-07T17:32:00.003-05:00

McAninch Construction has completed the earth moving for the building pad. Two great weeks of weather, resulted in the foundation to the building being completed, and ready for the electrical, and plumbing contractors to start moving equipment in to the site. Also moving in today, was JE Dunn's construction office trailer. The trailer will be wired for electricity sometime this week, and will be the central eyes, and ears of the entire project. Building materials are also starting to trickle in to the site. A load of rebar (reinforcement bar used to strengthen concrete) was delivered this morning. Today's focus on the site was to do the prep work for the driveway's, and parking lots. Look for huge changes in the next couple of weeks.

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-04T09:09:00.004-05:00

May your Independance Day celebration be filled with family, and friends. A construction update will be posted on Monday, July 7.

Equipment is moving again!

2008-07-01T10:53:00.003-05:00

McAninch Construction is back to work. Warm, dry weather over the weekend has enabled contruction equipment to go back to work. If Mother Nature cooperates over the next few days, the majority of the earth moving will be completed. JE Dunn's Office trailer is scheduled to be onsite by the end of next week. There will not be a video this week. Have a great 4th of July, and stay safe.

3" of rain stops construction equipment.

2008-06-29T14:48:00.003-05:00

Thursday's downpour has halted all construction equipment at the new site, at least for a couple of days. Nearly 3" of rain fell in less than 24 hours. Luckily, the majority of the retaining ponds had been completed. Pictured, are several of the "ponds" at the south campus. McAninch Construction has set up several pumping stations to drain off this excess water in hopes of returning to earth moving on Monday. Next week's forecast looks great though.

Video Update

2008-06-25T11:09:00.003-05:00

Short video this week.

No rest for the weary!

2008-06-22T09:43:00.003-05:00

Work continues on the south campus for the 7th day straight. Continuous movement of dirt has raised the new building pad almost 2'. Today's goals are to continue in the same manner, as well as add access to the site from South 19th Street.

The northeast drainage ponds are now to grade (Completed)

Look for a video update on Wednesday.

CAUTION - Hard Hat Area

2008-06-19T10:16:00.005-05:00

Oh, how I love the smell of freshly bulldozed dirt! In only 3 days, McAninch Construction has made tremendous progress at the new campus. More equipment was brought in to supplement their arsenal of big, and yellow tractors. For the next week, large amounts of soil will be moved from the west side hill, to the new building pad. Dirt is moved, and leveled 8" at a time. This is known in the construction circles, as a "lift". 8" inches of material is placed, and then compacted. Once the compaction is complete, it is inspected, to determine if there is enough compaction. This may seem like a lengthy process, and it is. But, very essential to having a strong foundation.

What a difference a week of dry weather makes.

Video Update

2008-06-17T13:19:00.004-05:00

Construction is finally moving ahead with dry, warm weather. McAninch Construction started moving large amounts of dirt on June 16 to build up the foundation. Another tractor has been busy carving out the retaining ponds that are scattered throughout the campus. More equipment is on the way, so look for dramatic changes in the next 2 weeks.

Believe it not, we're moving dirt!

2008-06-13T11:30:00.003-05:00

After 3 weeks of non-stop rainfall, McAninch Construction is back to work. A bulldozer will be cultivating the ground to expedite the drying process over the weekend. Tomorrow, and possibly Sunday, a tractor pulled disc will be used to further assist with the drying process. The goal for Monday is to start raising the building pad, other wise known as the foundation to the building. A second water pump was added to the trench on the east side. This should really get the ball rolling. There will not be a video this weekend, however, look for one on Monday. Have a great weekend.

Construction Update On Hold

2008-06-08T07:48:00.003-05:00

Due to no change in the weather, and no end in site, this blog will be hold for awhile. When things pick up again, I'll let you know.

Video Update

2008-06-07T10:41:00.003-05:00

Will the rain ever end?

2008-06-04T08:42:00.004-05:00

A biblical story comes to mind when I think of all the rain we have received this spring. Genesis, chapters 5 – 9, tells the story of Noah, and his Ark. Hopefully, it won’t get to that point. The outlook for the next 10 days doesn’t look very promising, with rain for 8 out of 10 days.

No video this weekend.

2008-06-01T09:40:00.003-05:00

What a gorgeous day Sunday turned out to be. Unfortunately, that's all going to change on Monday. With rain, and thunderstorms forecasted for the entire week, it may be awhile before anything else is completed at the new campus. No video this weekend, because there really wasn't anything to show. I'll try again next week.

Rain, Rain, and more Rain!

2008-05-29T08:46:00.004-05:00

Will the rainy weather ever end? There doesn't seem to be an end in site. No progress has been made this week. Next weeks forecast looks great though.

Happy Memorial Day

2008-05-28T08:30:00.002-05:00

No construction update due to Memorial Day. Check back Thursday May 29, 2008.

Video Update

2008-05-23T20:18:00.004-05:00

A 4 foot trench is added to site to help drain excess water.

2008-05-21T08:55:00.003-05:00

McAninch Construction has excavated a 4 foot deep trench, starting at the east end of the building site, and extending to the west. The trench was then backfilled with 3" diameter rock to act as a filter to help drain off the water to the east end. A 24" perforated culvert pipe was installed vertically at the end to gather the water, so it can be pumped out. This will speed things along nicely.

2008-05-20T10:22:00.006-05:00

Warm dry weather has been a godsend. Unfortunately, "Lake Nevada," is still a problem. I spoke with Tim (Project Manager) this morning, and McAninch is currently digging a trench and placing a 3" rock to pump out the water. This should really get the ball rolling for next week.

I hope you enjoyed the video presentation. I'm working on improving the sound quality, as well as the presentation it self. I may also be looking for an actor to portray me. Does anyone know if Eric Estrada is available?

Video Update!!

2008-05-18T17:09:00.002-05:00

I'm trying something a little different this weekend - a video update! I will try to produce one weekly. It's cheesy, but they say a picture is worth a thousand words, and a video, a least a millon.

Keep in mind, this is a work in process....the sound quality outside isn't as good as I'd like, so bear with us as we refine the process!

Big tractors and GPS

2008-05-14T13:01:00.000-05:00

Lack of rain over the last 3 days has made a difference at the new campus. Preliminary earth moving is still a little behind schedule, but they are making progress. In looking at the site from the north, some of you may wonder, why are you moving all this dirt? Well, not everything is as flat as we would like it. The site must be level in certain areas. Go figure. Our earth moving contractor, McAninch Construction from Des Moines, will be moving dirt from the west side of the site to the east side of the site in an effort to raise it by 4 - 5 feet in elevation. How do they do this? Big tractors, and GPS. Yes, GPS. Most of the tractors on site use GPS technology to acquire satellite signals to tell the equipment operators where dirt needs to be removed, and were dirt needs to be filled in. Time saving, and well as cost saving. For more information on this, go to this link http://www.mcaninchcorp.com/video/mac1100K.wmv. The picture of the tractor I have attached to this update is a Caterpillar D9R. It can be rented by the hour for anyone that has a backyard project to complete! More to follow............

Weather could keep too much from happening this week.

2008-05-12T10:27:00.001-05:00

Cold and wet weather could hamper construction this week. However, there are 2 new tractors and an equipment trailer on the site! The pond to the northeast is still a problem, but the addition of a drainage ditch should help.

It's Official!

2008-05-08T16:50:00.008-05:00

It is truly a joyous day for all of us here at Story County Medical Center.

Equipment has started moving dirt to dry out the small pond in the northeast corner of our location on South G Avenue and F Avenue. They are also stripping the corn stalks to allow the ground to dry out. It's amazing how much moisture is retained in corn stalks!

Our project was made possible by many, many people who support SCMC. Thanks to all who were instrumental in making our vision a reality.

Story Medical's Construction Story

The Big Move is almost here!

Almost Complete

Outpatient Area Complete!

Parking Lots Are Partially Paved

Signage Goes Up!

Mock Patient Room Almost Complete

Generator Delivery

Down the road....

In like a lion!

2.20.09: Bits and Pieces

01.29.09 The Walls Come Up!

01.16.09 -20 degrees and still making it happen!

12.18.08: Christmas comes early this year!

12.2.08: Cold and snow can't stop us!

11.24.08: The clocktower is complete!

11.20.08: The clocktower nears completion

11.10.08: Topping Out Ceremony

10.30.08: The concrete is poured for the helipad!

Long time, no see!

Brick work has started!

A little rain must fall!

Work continues!

We have walls!

It's starting to take shape.

Video Update

Steel arrives today!

Caution: Utility Work In Progress

Subsurface Constructors have arrived!

Picture Slideshow

Pink Ribbons!

McAninch Construction Pulls Out!

Happy 4th of July

Equipment is moving again!

3" of rain stops construction equipment.

Video Update

No rest for the weary!

*****CAUTION - Hard Hat Area*****

Video Update

Believe it not, we're moving dirt!

Construction Update On Hold

Video Update

Will the rain ever end?

No video this weekend.

Rain, Rain, and more Rain!

Happy Memorial Day

Video Update

A 4 foot trench is added to site to help drain excess water.

Video Update!!

Big tractors and GPS

Weather could keep too much from happening this week.

It's Official!

CAUTION - Hard Hat Area