St. Louis-based Guarantee Electrical and a specialized construction team have completed the new four-story, 84-bed, 89,000-sq-ft Duncan Patient Wing at Alton Memorial Hospital, Alton, Ill. for St. Louis-based client BJC HealthCare. The project, valued at $45 million, was completed on time and under budget.
After winning the assignment by competitive bid based on schematic documents, Guarantee and project team members devoted a full year to preconstruction planning. They used 3D modeling within a Web-based system to achieve real-time design-engineering coordination among all parties. The intensive preplanning was required to ensure the hospital would operate seamlessly while it was operating entirely on backup generators as Guarantee Electrical replaced and upgraded its central power system.
In fulfilling its design-assist role, Guarantee installed power, lighting, emergency, technology, data, fire alarm, and security systems in the new wing and a new 34.5kV:5kV utility substation with site distribution to 5kV outdoor gear. Guarantee constructed emergency backup power for the campus by installing two-1000kW diesel generators, paralleling switchgear housed in a new generator building.
The new wing updates patient accommodations at Alton Memorial Hospital and includes 76 private rooms, six observation beds, an inpatient pharmacy, and therapy and lab space plus a patient-friendly lobby with reception and registration areas. Joining Guarantee on the construction team were construction manager SM Wilson and architect Pratt Design Studio, Chicago.
