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115 JULY : AUGUST 2016 — COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION CIRCLE NO. 54 Melissa Countryman is VP at JE Dunn Construction and oversees the Healthcare and Life Sciences Groups for the JE Dunn Charlotte office. She has more than 17 years of experience focused on healthcare construction. to some 250,000 ex-military women and men, and has one of the fastest growing veteran populations in the U.S. Offer- ing outpatient services only and greatly expanding patient care provided by clinics in Charlotte, Kernersville and Asheville, and by the W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center in Salisbury, the new center can accommodate 40,000 veterans annually (eligibility required). JE Dunn superintendent Ken Cornell can point out many inconspicuous but important construction methods and building features incorporated to save time, curtail expenses, eliminate waste, conserve energy, and achieve other objectives. For example, the building's 292 pre- cast metal wall panels were manufactured in Spartanburg, South Carolina, contributing regionally resourced materials. The facility's blast-resistant design bolsters building security and protects occupants against explosion and toxic material releases. The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) made it possible to prefabricate, among other things, all of the building's overhead plumbing – with only a small bucket of scrap piping left over. The project is pursu- ing LEED Silver certification. Likewise, patients may be unaware of the VA's service delivery model known as PACT (Patient Aligned Care Team). They are, however, likely to appreciate PACT's benefits – engagement with a compassion- ate, coordinated care experience. Clinics and diagnostic areas, for exampe, are organized into neighborhoods laid out to encourage collaboration among caregivers and to fa- cilitate the smooth flow of personnel behind the scenes. "It's amazing – we're going to do wonderful things here," says Charles Stamper, Charlotte imaging supervisor who notes the facility's ultra-modern technology and the spaciousness of radiation and fluoroscopy rooms. Clearly evident are the amenities that reflect commitment to veteran-centered caregiving and accommodation. The center's 37-acre campus is five minutes from an interstate highway interchange. With 1,900- plus parking spaces, there is abundant park- ing, including spots aplenty designated for motorcycles and bicycles. Handicap parking is convenient to the building entrance, where a canopy can handily accommodate three vehicles simultaneously loading and unloading passengers. Inside the six-story, brick and glass building, a two-story tower bathes visitors in natural light, abundant throughout the facility. A cluster of touch-screen kiosks bids veterans to check-in electronically. Each floor has a canteen area. Each of the building's three clinic floors is identified by a colorful wall mural with a familiar North Carolina nature theme – Grandfather Mountain and Cape Hatteras, for exam- ple – complementing on-site fountains, courtyards and quiet spaces that support healing and well-being. FC With a single visit, a veteran will be able to fill a cavity, stitch a wound, get a pap test, pick-up prescriptions at the pharmacy, receive physical therapy – and more. General Contracting • Design/Build • Construction Program Management 31269 Bradley Rd. • North Olmsted, OH 44070 • www.fortneyweygandt.com • 440.716.4000 Contact Jerry Gentz, Director of Business Development FORTNEY & WEYGANDT, INC.