Children’s Memorial Hospital
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Work has already started at LAPPCO, Lombard Architectural Precast Products Company, on the $10 million contract to manufacture and install architectural precast exterior panels for the new Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. This major project will consist of 1,724 separate panels produced at LAPPCO’s facilities in Alsip, IL. The production phase is now in full operation and is expected to continue through December. Due to the volume and repetition of precast panels, LAPPCO chose to use steel production molds for the majority of the panels. Approximately 75% of the panels can be cast using 10 special steel molds, with the balance of the panels cast in conventional wood molds. The steel mold technology will greatly expedite the production process resulting in considerable savings for the hospital. Erection of panels for Children’s Memorial Hospital will begin with ground cranes on the building’s lower tower, while the structural steel erector continues construction of the upper tower using two tower cranes. An April 2010 completion date is expected for the precast exterior. The three-color, acid-etched precast panels form a grid when using the spandrel beam and column cover-type approach. This grid forms the buildings window openings, a cost-saving feature. The new hospital will be located at 225 E. Chicago Avenue in the Streeterville community. When it opens in 2012, the hospital will be 1.25 million square feet, a significant increase over the current hospital’s 699,000 square feet. It will have a capacity of 313 beds verses the 200 beds now in use. Each room will be an estimated 290 square feet, more than doubling the existing semi-private room size. Children’s Memorial was founded in 1882 by Julia Foster Porter in an eight-room cottage near the site of the present hospital, in memory of her 13-year-old son, Maurice, who died of acute rheumatism. It was the first hospital in Chicago dedicated solely to the care of children. The new hospital will be named Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in honor of Ann Lurie and in recognition of her $100 million donation. LAPPCO is honored to be part of the growth of Children’s Memorial Hospital and the way in which it will advance pediatric care. When completed, the new hospital will transform pediatric medicine for the next 125 years in the areas of research, treatment and technology.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Headquarters
Location: Deerfield, Illinois
This precast project was certainly a test of the skill of LAPPCO’s mixologist. The building utilized genuine, field installed, granite sections. The challenge was to match the exposed granite aggregate precast panels to exactly match the genuine granite stone. It took several test batches until the exact match was achieved. Another example of the versatility of concrete precast panels.
Hospira Pharmaceutical Headquarters
Location: Lake Forest, Illinois
This major project incorporated several precast panel applications. One of the most interesting uses of precast was acid-etched “grillage shaped”(looks like the front grill of a car) prestressed panels at the roof used to hide the extensive mechanical equipment.
Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
This cancer center is a partnership between Clarian Health and Indiana University school of medicine. This $5 million precast contract was for over 900 panels. This 94,000 square foot building is a combination of brick clad panels, limestone clad panels and exposed acid-etched precast concrete panels. The limestone panels were a very unique aspect of this project. Indiana limestone was shipped to LAPPCO and then imbedded into the precast concrete panels. This technique so closely matched on site limestone construction it is nearly impossible to see the difference. The difference is the precast panels saved considerable time and expense. It was Lombard Architectural Precast Products experience and competitive bidding which resulted in their being awarded this major contract.
Edward Hospital Parking
Location: Naperville, Illinois
This massive five story parking structure was completed in record time. The project incorporated architectural load bearing spandrels and columns with acid-etched and sandblasted finishes. The erection was coordinated with a structural producer who supplied the double tees and stair towers.
Provena Medical Center
Location: Joliet, Illinois
The new bed tower structure called for brick clad panels to exacting specifications. LAPPCO also met the challenge of a very escalated construction schedule.
Delta Dental Building
Location: Naperville, Illinois
Delta Dental selected LAPPCO based on their reputation. The building required many precast panel finishes.
- Larger utility brick clad panels
- Acid etch
- Sand blast
- Custom rock face panels
Silver Cross -Medical Office Building
Location: New Lenox, Illinois
Here LAPPCO had to produce two interesting finishes. One a faux granite finish, which is considerably less expensive than real granite while achieving the granite look. The other at the base of the building, a unique river pebble finish.
Riverside Medical Center Addition
Location: Kankakee, Illinois
Riverside is a major medical facility for Kankakee County. The project required three different color mixes that needed to be formulated to very exacting specifications. The work was completed ahead of schedule to the complete satisfaction of the client.