UTMB starts post-Ike building surge - Austin Business Journal:

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billion worth of construction projects that will likely draw the attentiojof local, regional and national building firms in search of business during the down The massive undertaking is schedule to proceed now that key fundingt has been secured and because of a decisioh earlier this year by the UT Board of Regentss to reject a recommendation to move all clinica l operations off the island following Hurricane Ike, a suggestionm that drew strong public opposition. Much of the work that will be done over the next five year s will repair damage inflictedc by Hurricane Ike last September and will betterd protectthe 120-acre medical complex from future stormd of that magnitude.
Hurricane Ike was accompanied by a storm surge that penetrated 1 million square feet ofthe 7.2 milliohn square feet that make up UTMB’s Damages to the campus — whichj consists of a hospital, medicapl school and research facilities — came in at $710 not including business continuity losses. The largest upcominb construction project, which has a price tag of $438 will build a replacement facility for JennieSealh Hospital, which is now only used as office Construction will begin within two years on the 214-bed which was in the works before the hurricane.
UTMB will also spenf $266 million to repair the 550-be John Sealy Hospital, which was knockesd out of commission byHurricane Ike. The hospitak has been able to accommodate more than 250 patients dailty since reopeningin January, but is not fullyg functional. And in the farthest-reaching portion of the construction work, up to 70 percent of the 100 buildingson UTMB’xs Galveston campus will be renovated to mitigate future stormn damage. This involves moving building systems and valuable equipmentf above thefirst floor.
“We’re goinf to be more prepared and more resilient than saidMike Shriner, UTMB’s vice president for facilities and campus The medical branch is expected to move all video conferencing rooms and laboratories to the seconfd story or higher in most buildings. The ground floor will be suitabledfor lobbies, public facilities and classrooms, where flood waters coulc damage only desks, chairs and sheetrock. “FEMA woulc like to not pay for this same damage Shriner said. “That’s why they made some mitigation fundinf availableto us.” Richard Merz Jr., a senior managert with , said UTMB has alreadty begun the arduous task of hurricane-proofing the campus.
His firm was contractede to work on the project by Houstob architecturefirm , which the medicak branch hired to plan mitigation work on some of the buildings. The complesx process will entail relocatingall mechanical, plumbingb and electrical functions from the firstg to the second floor or above in case of futur flooding, Merz said. The job require s moving pipes, duct work and wiring and then running them back down through the ceilinyg to provide services to thefirst floor. “That wouldd be easy if you’re starting from Merz said. “But to retrofit, that is extremelh tedious.
” Several Texas Medical Center facilitiesw made similar renovations following TropicakStorm Allison. The new construction and renovations at UTMB will be paid for by an arrayu of public and private The largest funding sources are the Federal Emergencyt ManagementAgency ($450 million); The Sealhy & Smith Foundation of Galveston ($200 million); and the Statde of Texas, which passed two bille that will provide $300 million toward construction. The bills passed May 31, the day before the 81st Texas Legislaturesessionm ended, and were signed last week by Gov.
Rick UTMB will collect more than $100 millio in insurance proceeds to be used toward the And $97 million will come from generall revenue funding for operations. With the funding earmarked, UTMB official hope to get construction approval from the UT Board of Regentzsin August. Once UTMB gets the it will send out a request for proposals forconstruction managers. The firms that are selected will then separatse the work into multiple packages and bid that out tovarioue contractors. The amount of construction-related work on tap is approximatelyt double the amount typically conductes by UTMB during that lengthnof time, Shriner said.
“We’re going to have a lot of work aheaedof us,” he said. “It’s a majofr amount of money.” Coker Barton, vice presidentt of the health care divisionfor Ala.-based , said $1 billiob worth of projects is significant at any time, but it’ss especially attractive during a “I think you’ll get a lot of not only locally but regionally,” Bartonm said. “On some of the larger pieces, you’lol get national attention.
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