UHS Wilson Medical Center New Tower

United Health Services (UHS) commissioned a new six-story tower to be designed and built as an extension to an existing hospital within their network. The new construction at UHS Wilson Medical Center adds 183,000 square feet of space and will include 120 new patient rooms, a mechanical penthouse, and a raised helipad above the sixth floor. The approximate project cost is 120 million dollars.

KHH was involved in many aspects of this project. Our roles encompassed all three of our disciplines: structural engineering, civil site, landscape architecture, and building envelope services.

As the structural engineer, we were responsible for the design of the structural steel building frame and foundations. The foundations consist of reinforced concrete spread footings. Micropiles and secant wall systems were used to support the existing building for the construction of the basement. Within the structure two-way moment frames were incorporated to allow for the best utilization of space. We also designed numerous modifications to the existing structure at tie-in points and repurposed building areas.

Sitework, including entry points critical to the hospital, was designed by our landscape architects and civil engineers. KHH configured a relocation of the emergency room visitor parking lot entrance and covered ambulance area to focus urgent pedestrian and vehicular traffic to the emergency room area. A separate vehicular drive was designed to serve as the new main hospital entrance for all other visitors. These new means of entry will provide visitors with more direct access to the hospital.

KHH provided building envelope consultation services. The envelope was comprised of a terracotta rainscreen façade and steel-framed curtain wall system, a single-ply membrane insulated roof system, and a metal panel screen wall at the upper roof level. KHH conducted COMcheck calculations for all building envelope components and assemblies, various 2-d heat flow THERM analyses of exterior wall conditions, and structural details to ensure compliance with the New York State Energy Code. KHH also consulted on envelope detailing for the curtain wall and exterior soffit paneling systems.