Linbeck Group led construction of Victory Medical Center, an 85,000-sq-ft hospital in San Antonio. The project was completed in 13.5 months despite various challenges, including phased document issuance and strict cost controls.
The greenfield medical center was the first building on 95 undeveloped acres. Infrastructure coordination was a major undertaking. Design for the utilities had not been finalized even as ground was broken for the medical center. Sewer lines were signed off three weeks after the hospital's sewer line was ready for tie-in.
Meanwhile, natural gas lines could not be routed directly across the 95 acres. They were moved nearly 1.5 miles along nearby roadways. This caused a schedule delay because the land had to be platted, easements approved and signatures obtained from multiple landowners. Natural gas line installation was set back severely enough that Option B planning had to be coordinated on how to open a hospital with temporary services. Natural gas was provided just two weeks before inspections.
The power feed to the building came from lines located in the Texas Dept. of Transportation's right-of-way. Between the coordination of responsibilities, easements and authorizations, the installation of permanent power took 32 weeks from the time that documents were approved, causing a six-week delay in the schedule.
Given the fast-track nature of the project, the contractor implemented several lean techniques to enhance collaboration among the trades, including pull-scheduling supported by daily huddles, where foremen and superintendents discussed the day's tasks and what would help make them successful.
Ductwork, plumbing, piping and electrical in-wall rough-ins were all prefabricated.
Key Players
General Contractor Linbeck Group LLC, San Antonio
Owner Medistar Corp., Houston
Lead Design/MEP Page, Houston
Structural CBM Engineers, Houston
Civil Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc., San Antonio
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