The new CIHA Cherokee Indian Hospital will be designed and constructed using the collaborative Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach. IPD brings together CIHA, subcontractors, construction manager Robins & Morton and design team Design Strategies early in the process. This encourages mutual respect, communication and the willingness to collaborate, and the mutual sharing of risks and rewards.
Founded in 1946, Robins & Morton is a privately held construction and engineering company that consistently ranks among the 100 largest U.S. builders in Engineering News-Record Magazine and one of the best companies to work for in America. The company currently ranks number four in Modern Healthcare’s list of Top 100 General Contractors, and they have been building hospitals in North Carolina for more than 36 years.
Robins & Morton employees are shown (left-right) including Austin McKinney, project engineer; Bill Stevens, senior superintendent for the project; Sara Crow, administrative; Marshall Scott, project manager; and Josh Young, superintendent. (CIHA photo)
The on-site Robins & Morton team has unique recent experience using IPD methodologies to complete a large-scale hospital project. The same team just completed a 220-bed replacement hospital in rural Augusta, Maine that opened in the fall of 2013. The 640,000 square foot, $220 million IPD project was completed 10 months ahead of schedule, and it realized budget savings that resulted in significant value-added features. This success was a result of the commitment and collaboration of all members of the team. The Robins & Morton team looks forward to emulating similar IPD success throughout planning, design and construction of the new Cherokee Indian Hospital, and will help lead the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority’s new facility to be a true source of pride for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians.
Bill Stevens, Robins & Morton senior superintendent for the project, will take a lead role in the management of the Cherokee Indian Hospital from early planning to final occupancy. Stevens has managed 16 major hospital projects totaling $592 million with impressive results in safety, quality, schedule, budget and customer satisfaction.
“This success was a direct result of the early involvement of the construction manager and trade contractors,” said Stevens. “My goal is to fully utilize our experience and capabilities to attain a cost effective and constructible design, while developing relationships and the necessary logistics to assure the project’s success.”
Stevens is joined onsite by several other Robins & Morton team members, all of whom have ample experience in collaborative healthcare construction, and each of whom are excited to become part of the Cherokee community.
Marshall Scott, project manager, will work with the IPD team through to final occupancy to ensure the goals of the team are met. He will work directly with the hospital’s staff to develop a design that is within budget and executing the plan throughout the construction process.
“Robins & Morton has given me the opportunity to be a part of a diversity of projects including additions, multi-phase renovations, high-rise, and new construction,” Scott said. “These projects have been located across the country giving me insight to different communities and cultures.”
Josh Young is serving as Superintendent, supporting Bill Stevens in supervising field construction of the project. His focus is organization, planning and scheduling in order to complete the work on time and within budget. “There are many reasons I enjoy working on an IPD project,” said Young, “In my opinion the best part about IPD is the collaborative effort between contractor, subcontractor, architect, and owner. When everyone works together as a team it creates an ideal environment to get done in a timely matter.”
Austin McKinney will serve as project engineer for the hospital. “As Project Engineer, I provide support to the Superintendent and Project Manager to ensure all time, quality and customer satisfaction objectives are realized,” he said. “My responsibilities include assisting with preconstruction, IT, buyout and purchasing, submittal process, close-out documents and managing/coordinating subcontractors.”
Robert Grady, MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) Superintendent is responsible for the MEP coordination of systems and check code requirements during design, managing the central energy plant and all the systems throughout the building. “A good portion of my 35-year career has been involved with building hospitals and semi-conductor facilities,” Grady said. “I enjoy building hospitals the most. I really get a great feeling of satisfaction that I have done something good for a community and have impacted a lot of people for the better when I complete one.”
