Thursday, March 28, 2024

State Project Review Committee approves Chelan hospital proposal for GC/CM building method, ensuring cost and scheduling predictability

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CHELAN - The State Project Review Committee unanimously approved the proposal by Lake Chelan Community Hospital & Clinics (LCCHC) to use the Construction Manager / General Contractor (GC/CM) building method for the new hospital facility last Thursday, July 27 after they heard an hour-long presentation by the LCCHC team.  

With overlapping design and construction phases, the GC/CM collaborative method incorporates the contractor’s point of view into the project much sooner than design-bid-build. The contractor is hired early enough to contribute expertise to guide the design process and control the budget. This helps the design phase transition seamlessly into the construction phase and includes better budget control and time savings.

“The review committee members were very supportive that we were pursuing this method,” said Barry Leahy, project manager of the new hospital building. This option is an excellent fit for us, because the Chelan valley is small and somewhat isolated from materials and construction staff. The project will also stretch over two winters, he said, which needs additional consideration.

Using the GC/CM method is for the community’s benefit, he continued, because it allows predictability of cost and schedules. “The general contractor will work with all parties from the beginning to give the community comfort in knowing this is going to work.”

With Thursday’s state committee approval, LCCHC will now work with Dick Bratton, an experienced GC/CM consultant, who will guide the organization through the final selection of the general contractor. Bratton will next submit requests for general contractor proposals. Applicants will be reviewed and finalists interviewed. The plan is to have the contractor on board by Oct. 1, said Leahy.

 “We have a great building project team,” said Mary Signorelli, LCCHC Board of Commissioners Chair. “And now that we have approval from the State Project Review Committee, we can begin the process of hiring a general contractor. Once this key player is in place, the many facets of putting a final plan together will proceed. We look forward to a smooth and well-crafted process to accomplish this project.”
 

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