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Skanska, using integrated project delivery tools, completes construction on eye treatment center at OHSU

Press release 2/16/2021 4:00 AM EST

(Portland, Ore.) – Skanska – the region’s leading general construction contractor – announced completion of construction on the new Elks Children’s Eye Clinic building at Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) Casey Eye Institute.

The $50-million project creates a welcoming space for OHSU’s expanded offerings in advanced eye care for children and adults. Standing next to the original Casey Eye Institute building on OHSU’s Marquam Hill campus, the new Elks Children’s Eye Clinic building opened to patients in December 2020.

Construction of the innovative project designed by NBBJ began in late 2018, and consistently met project timelines and budget parameters, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. Following OHSU requirements, the project’s leadership team employed key principles and tools of the integrated project delivery approach, ensuring active and successful collaboration among the owner’s team and the builder leaders. “With each milestone and each challenge, everyone owned it,” said Skanska Senior Project Manager Nikolas Heagy.

The modern functionality and design of the five-story, glass-glazed clinic on the compact site comprised extensive site preparation for the hilly terrain, use of specialized and optimized steel framing technology, skybridge prefabrication with connection to the existing institute’s facility, creation of elements designed to maximize patients’ sensory and tactile functions, and extensive and specialized dichroic glass on the expansive windows. The south facing façade features a glass curtain wall. “This complicated work was executed all while ensuring patients had continuing, full access to needed clinical services at the existing Casey Eye building entrance,” added Heagy.

The new building is also home to comprehensive care for, as well as research into, macular degeneration, inherited genetic mutations that affect vision, retinal conditions and low-vision rehabilitation. The facility also features space for clinical trial management, telemedicine care, an optical shop, conference rooms and a small café.

“Critical research and healthcare that is already happening at the new Elks Children’s Eye Clinic building is bringing us closer to reaching our goal of ending preventable blindness in Oregon. OHSU’s IPD approach proved extremely suitable and flexible in designing elements essential to achieving this ambition,” said Casey Eye Institute Director Dr. David Wilson.

Skanska’s use of the IPD approach integrated talent and emerging technologies into the process, collaboratively using insights from many perspectives to increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency throughout the project.

Skanska is a long-term construction partner with OHSU, spanning more than two decades. “We sought maximum transparency through engagement among all project partners, and our use of technology,” said Trevor Wyckoff, Skanska vice president and account manager. “The project leveraged the collective team’s experience and innovations including prefabrication and building information modeling. This approach ensured project and budget efficiency, adherence to project timelines, and increased overall coordination for all project partners.”

The new facility is targeted for LEED Gold certification, as designated by the U.S. Green Building Council.