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LA District nearing completion of Phase I for Nellis hospital renovation project

Published July 7, 2014
Viet Tran, project engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Las Vegas Resident Office Nellis Air Force Base Medical Center Realignment project for the Mike O’Callaghan Medical Center, inspects a renovated labor and delivery room on the medical center’s third floor June 24. The $96 million project, which is scheduled to take three years, is designed to modernize many of the departments in the medical center to provide better service for patients.

Viet Tran, project engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Las Vegas Resident Office Nellis Air Force Base Medical Center Realignment project for the Mike O’Callaghan Medical Center, inspects a renovated labor and delivery room on the medical center’s third floor June 24. The $96 million project, which is scheduled to take three years, is designed to modernize many of the departments in the medical center to provide better service for patients.

NELLIS AFB, Nev.--The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s Las Vegas Resident Office is between 75 and 85 percent complete on Phase I of the renovation project for the Mike O’Callaghan Medical Center here June 24.

“It’s a logistical challenge to make sure we make the move of existing departments into their new homes as seamless as possible for them and their patients,” said Viet Tran, the District’s project engineer. “We have a tight schedule for the end user. They really seem to like the work we’ve done so far.”

Tran said the work is proceeding well, even with some minor adjustments along the way. As an example, he said the contractor moved electrical plugs in the renovated area on the third floor. They were in the proper location, according to the design drawings; however, they needed to be moved to accommodate usage by patients or staff members.

Spencer Jones, the senior project manager for United, Excel – the District’s contractor for the project – said he is pleased with the way the work is progressing.

“With the schedule, we worked on a sequence of events that allows us to spread out our resources and level out the work so we can focus on the things critical to maintaining the schedule,” Jones said. “In any type of renovation, though, you have some kinds of surprises with the existing facility.”

Jones said he and his team found the electrical conduits had been laid into the foundation instead of being put into the overheads. So, in order to core drill, his team used Ground Penetrating Radar technology to survey the slab and locate the conduits before drilling. That way, they didn’t interrupt any critical power systems.

Tran said the $96 million project, which is scheduled to take three years, will provide updated equipment and facilities for many of the departments in the medical center.

“This project is important, because we are helping the Air Force provide the best service possible for military members, their families and all the patients who use this facility,” said Tran.