• Posted: February 17, 2021
• better construction, Evans Electric, Gurtz Electric, LiveWire Construction, Rush University Hospital Cancer Center

Just east of Rush University Hospital between Congress and Harrison Streets, a new 500,000 sqft outpatient building is rising from the ground. Crews began work on the 11-story building in March 2019 and it’s expected to be completed in the summer of 2022. The $450 million, state-of-the-art building will house a cancer and neurosciences center to build upon Rush’s reputation as one of the best hospitals in the region.

A walkway will connect the new building to the existing Rush University Hospital, making it easier to get between the two structures. The new building will house “outpatient clinical services for cancer and neurosciences, including diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, infusion therapy, and integrative medicine,” according to Rush.

Powering Chicago’s Gurtz Electric has been on the job since day one, alongside other Powering Chicago members. Each member has brought in experienced IBEW Local 134 electricians to help manage the building’s work.

“We’re bringing in all the gear, light fixtures, security system, lighting controls, fire alarm system, nurse call system, and wireless clock system,” explained Matthew Robinson, a project manager at Gurtz who’s leading the work. “There’s also a six-story parking garage going in as well.”

Much of the main work Gurtz will do won’t happen until all the windows are installed on the building and the buildout can begin inside. For now, the piping has been installed and all the necessary gear is in place to begin work when the building has been enclosed, which should happen in another few months.

Once the exterior of the building is complete, Powering Chicago members can begin the bulk of their work. This is when lighting fixtures will be installed, wires will be run to ensure the medical center has appropriate power in each lab and waiting room, and where other essential medical power supplies will be distributed.

To get power to each of the 11 floors, three separate electrical closets have been installed on each floor to distribute power evenly. Because power supply is critical and can be a life-and-death situation in a hospital, backup emergency power is supplied from Rush’s central plant located a few blocks from the new tower.

“Two 15kv services are being supplied to a 15kv double ended substation located on level three,” Robinson explained of the backup power supply. “From there, emergency power is distributed via 9 ATS switches to ensure all power needs are met.”

“You cannot shut the power off in a hospital, this would not be a good thing,” said Mike Evans, owner of Evans Electric. “One of the first projects that we worked was an Oncology floor renovation at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. Part of that project required Evans to replace some gear and add new distribution, requiring us to set up temporary power to keep areas energized during the installation. There were a lot of meeting with Pat Greene from Plant Operation and even more meetings to schedule the install. There are certain procedures that you have to follow and the key component is communication.”

Evans has watched the process of working in hospitals evolve over the years, starting when he was an apprentice electrician working with Block Electric. The work at Rush Hospital is particularly interesting for Evans who says the constant change in medical work was what drew him to hospital jobs initially.

“I like working in hospitals because it is very diverse in the work that you do,” Evans said. “One day you’re working on lighting, one day you’re installing X-ray equipment, and there are all kinds of low voltage systems. Fire alarm, door access, phone and data, and security.”

LiveWire Construction is working alongside Evans and Gurtz Electric and has been performing work on the nurse call and clock systems. Sarah Liles, an MEP Project Manager at LiveWire says, “working in the health care section is really rewarding. You know that the work you’re doing will help people in the community and there’s a sense of pride that comes from that knowledge.”

Robinson has worked on apartment buildings and high-rise offices before, but after being an estimator with Gurtz for years, this is the first project he’s tackling as a project manager. And while it’s his first lead project, he’s confident in the team he has and the skilled Powering Chicago members who are on the ground working.