O’Shea Builders uses Lean principles to expedite important project
As the number of COVID-19 cases continued to climb in Sangamon County and a vaccine was about to be released, Memorial Health System needed to quickly develop laboratory testing and mass vaccination locations in the Springfield area.
In early November, Memorial asked O’Shea, along with our design partners – Farnsworth Group and Crawford, Murphy & Tilly – to build indoor drive-thru lanes at their respiratory testing sites by Christmas Eve, which would require an extremely aggressive schedule.
O’Shea Senior Project Manager Mike Sunley quickly assembled a team to develop a solution, while Superintendent Eric Knoles got to work putting together an initial build schedule based on traditional delivery methods. The initial schedule was nine weeks longer than the time available. A core team made up of Memorial, design partners, and trade partners was assembled to shorten the timeline and meet Memorial’s goal. The timeline was shortened by living the Lean concept of “optimizing the whole, not the parts.” The core team sought to see the process as a “whole” (the production of a facility), rather than its “parts” (design, permitting, bidding, shop drawings, and construction).
The core team evaluated multiple sites that may support such a facility. Once site selections were finalized, Chris Stritzel, Director of Building & Site Services from CMT, worked nearly non-stop through the weekend to provide accurate and detailed civil engineering site-plans that enabled site demo to start the following Monday. Architects Paul Wheeler and Forrest Hoffman from Farnsworth Group and David King, Vice President of Facilities Management from Memorial Health System, and the O’Shea Builders team consulted with the City of Springfield the next day to gain a reliable commitment on concept and design approval as well as a plan for zoning modifications required. Memorial’s goal would not have been accomplished without the application of the Lean principles that we have learned and effectively implemented throughout our organization during the past year.
The team completed the drive-thru lab and respiratory testing site at 2950 S. Sixth Street in Springfield by Christmas Eve as requested, and it was open to the public after Christmas. Patients can now drive into the facility and be treated in an environment that protects them and hospital staff from the winter weather. The new drive-thru lanes replace the tents that had been at the location.
In addition, the team completed a second similar drive-thru facility at 320 E. Carpenter Street in Springfield in January, accomplishing another goal of Memorial.
These projects were not only a win for our team and Memorial, but for our community as we all tackle the challenges of COVID-19 together. Special thanks to our design partners, trade partners and suppliers for their engagement and commitment to delivering a successful project: Farnsworth Group, Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, E.L. Pruitt, B&B Electric, Pulliam Masonry, Truss Slater, Roofers Mart, Aupperle Construction, Bortmess Concrete, Springfield Overhead Doors by Hart, and Prime Panels (Nudo).