Wilmington Surgical

Summarize the project's program, features and achievements?

"Wilmington Surgical Associates, based in Wilmington, North Carolina, undertook a project to establish a new, cutting-edge medical office. After evaluating various options for nearly two years, the experienced Design-Build team chose Tilt-Up concrete construction as the best approach to meet the strict timeline and complex design requirements set by the client. The project resulted in a highly functional and visually appealing facility designed to support advanced surgical and medical services.

The new building is a two-story, 19,500-square-foot structure that maximizes the available lot space while incorporating essential patient and staff convenience features. This facility represents a significant upgrade from Wilmington Surgical Associates' previous setup, which involved multiple renovations and splitting the office between two neighboring buildings over 40 years of operation. The new space's design supports continued growth within the practice, ensuring they can continue to provide premier surgical services to the community. Featuring clinical, procedural, and administrative spaces, the facility includes 27 exam rooms, an ultrasound lab, four procedure rooms, and a stereotactic biopsy room. Enhanced parking facilities, including an integrated covered drive-up entry, improve accessibility and convenience compared to the previous location, ensuring a comfortable and efficient environment for both patients and staff. The building's exterior design includes simple yet elegant stairwells, thoughtfully placed logos and reveals, and proud panels highlighting the brand. To meet the client's specific aesthetic preferences, a pure white, medium-textured paint was chosen for the building's exterior to contrast with charcoal colored brick. Meticulous execution of the exterior color selection and brick coursing were necessary to achieve the desired visual impact, complementing the building's modern design.

Wilmington Surgical Associates' new office is a testament to Tilt-Up's construction effectiveness in delivering a high-quality, fast-track project. The state-of-the-art medical facility meets Wilmington Surgical Associates' immediate needs and sets a new standard for future medical office buildings. By balancing rapid construction with thoughtful design and sustainability, the project exemplifies how innovative construction methods paired with an experienced Design-Build team can address the evolving demands of the healthcare sector. Wilmington Surgical Associates now has a modern, efficient space that supports its commitment to providing premier surgical services, ensuring it remains at the forefront of healthcare in the Wilmington area."

What obstacles were overcome related to the schedule, budget, program, specification, site, etc. on this project?

"The project encountered several significant obstacles but successfully overcame them to meet a fast-track schedule, ensuring Wilmington Surgical Associates could provide uninterrupted care. Completing the building's shell quickly was essential to expedite the interior medical upfit. The General Contractor promoted Tilt-Up construction as the solution, which allowed the building to be dried in within three months of starting the foundations, thus enabling interior work to proceed without delays.

One major challenge was the limited crane access, which was restricted to two sides of the site. This obstacle required a critical analysis of panel weights and erection sequencing to enable effective lifting across the building's depth. Additionally, the design featured plain, pure white, lapped panels at the main entry and stairwells, which required an exceptionally smooth finish to achieve the desired appearance. The lack of reveals or other distracting elements meant that any blemishes on these panels would be highly noticeable, demanding meticulous attention to surface quality during construction."

Please communicate any engineering complexities or unique features of the panel design for this project?

"The project required addressing intricate design challenges and incorporating innovative panel features to achieve functional and aesthetic goals. The building's fin and lid panels were designed with recesses to conceal integrated LED strip lighting, ensuring the surface lighting highlighted the panels and prominent signage without visible light sources. The 26-foot-tall openings at the stairwell panels presented design complexities, requiring the engineering team to develop solutions for connecting the stair framing to these load-bearing panels without compromising structural integrity.

Another significant challenge was the design of the covered drive-up entry canopy. The exposed steel members had to be shallow in depth to maintain a sleek appearance despite the 10-foot cantilever requirement. Rod hangers mitigated some moment stresses at the bolted panel connections, allowing for shallower member depths. Unique framing details were required at the C12 perimeter channels, allowing the canopy's profile to remain shallow while effectively concealing the tapered roof assembly behind it. These engineering solutions were critical in maintaining the desired aesthetic while ensuring structural performance and durability."

What is the potential for this project's impact on the community and/or environment?

Completing the new Wilmington Surgical Associates facility is a major achievement for the Wilmington, NC community. It addresses the increasing population and expanding medical needs in the area. This advanced medical center serves existing clients and supports the practice's growth, enhancing the overall healthcare experience for staff and patients. The new facility consolidates services into a single, advanced location, streamlining the process and offering a more cohesive and accessible healthcare environment. It is equipped with the latest medical technology and promises a more efficient and pleasant working environment for the staff. Ultimately, this project represents a significant investment in the health and well-being of the Wilmington community, reinforcing the area's commitment to excellence in healthcare.