Berghammer adjusts on the fly for Froedtert

Berghammer is on pace to complete the first floor of the Froedtert Surgery Center and Clinics by the March occupancy deadline. Photos courtesy of Berghammer Construction Corporation

Constructing the Froedtert Surgery Center and Clinics in Wauwatosa has been like shooting ducks on the pond for Berghammer Construction.

The pond, in this case, was 9 feet of water pooled in the basement of the project. The ducks were really there, but Berghammer crews were shooing, not shooting.
"They get out of the way when they need to," said Jim Parks, Berghammer's executive vice president and principal.

The same can be said about Berghammer. The company, which signed on as a construction manager for the project in December 2003, quickly learned that its primary construction challenge focused more on what it was taking away than what it was providing. Parking is at a premium on the Froedtert campus, so Berghammer did its best to get out of the way.

"This building is in an existing parking lot, and the construction of the building placed some strain on parking," Parks said. "So we looked at the logistics of construction, and we limited it to 70 or 80 stalls, which was a third of what was originally planned. We looked at the sequence of construction, and, given the value of parking, we were very flexible."

Berghammer also had to show some flexibility when it came to the size and scope of the project. Original plans called for a 20,000-square-foot ambulatory surgical center on the first floor with five operating and procedural rooms, prep and recovery areas and common space for reception and waiting. There was a possibility for a 20,000-square-foot second floor, and it remained a possibility all the way through the start of construction.

"Since it was not determined at groundbreaking, there was a team decision to size the footings for a second floor, and, lo and behold, it was a good decision because at the end of the day, we ended up with two stories," Parks said.

The decision to add two clinics on a second floor added a wrinkle to Berghammer's plans, but Parks said it hasn't been tough taking the changes in stride.

"It's pretty typical in construction to map it out and then crumple up the map and start over when you get going," he said. "You just have to keep your eye on the critical date of occupancy."

And with that date looming for the first floor in March, Parks said Berghammer is right on schedule as it finalizes interior finishes and certifies the building's systems.

"We'll be at the last leg of the race," he said.

- Chris Thompson

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