Photo courtesy McCarthy Building Cos.

The project was designed by the Dallas office of HKS Architects and delivered by the Dallas and Houston offices of McCarthy Building Cos.

The $239-million University of Texas MD Anderson Alkek project comprised a 12-story vertical expansion above the operating 12-story hospital and a new 24-story elevator tower.

Designed by the Dallas office of HKS Architects and delivered by the Dallas and Houston offices of McCarthy Building Cos. in September 2010, three weeks ahead of schedule and under budget, the 503,000-sq-ft design-build project includes 240 inpatient rooms, three shell floors for 144 future patient rooms, upgrade of the existing building structure and infrastructure and renovation of 50,000 sq ft.

Building on an active hospital campus required 24/7 scheduling and continuous communication between design-builders and hospital staff. McCarthy scheduled more than 700 shutdowns. Noisy operations occurred 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off to limit disruptions. Concrete was poured during the day and steel work was done at night.

Tight site space around the existing facility would allow only one tower crane. McCarthy innovated by building the expansion around the crane erected in an existing elevator shaft. On completion of the built structure, crane removal from the elevator required close coordination, including with city police. Another crane was brought in to dismantle the first, and a third was necessary to dismantle the second.

University of Texas MD Anderson Alkek project comprised a 12-story vertical expansion above the operating 12-story hospital and a new 24-story elevator tower.

Key Players

Owner: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

General Contractor: McCarthy Building Cos., Houston

Lead Design: HKS Architects, Dallas

Structural: Walter P Moore Engineers + Consultants, Houston

MEP: CCRD Partners, Houston

Submitted by:

McCarthy Building Cos.