Initially, the work at Shriners Hospitals for Children, Chicago, a well-known and respected orthopedic hospital, seemed important but not unusual - additional surgeries, expanded rehabilitation area, new patient rooms, a therapeutic pool.

But in reality, it was a job like no other. For example, excavation turned up the old, original hospital overlapping the footprint of the planned addition! The symbolism was touching, but on a practical level – planning around a Chicago winter – every second counted.

With great teamwork, owner, architect and design/build partner Ellerbe Becket, and Barton Malow generated alternatives and agreed on a solution in just 10 days: The old structure had to be removed. The schedule was adapted so that construction continued elsewhere; the area in question was ready when work needed to begin there.

Owner representatives, along with Ellerbe Becket, subcontractors, and Barton Malow, maintained a very close, strong collaboration throughout the engagement – a necessity, considering this was a turnkey project on a tight schedule. Barton Malow was responsible for myriad items typically handled by the owner: purchasing and installing everything from curtains to medical equipment to the telephone system – even commissioning the artwork.