Vassar Brother’s Medical Center
Vassar Brother’s Medical CenterQnect helps regional medical center reshape project after unexpected design changes.
Project Team
Detailer: Prothious
Fabricator: Cives
Engineer of Record: RTKL
Connection Engineer: MBJ
Connection Design, Modeling and Optimization: Qnect
The Project
The Vassar Brother’s Medical Center (VBMC) located in Poughkeepsie, NY expanded their 365-bed modern medical treatment center that serves the NY Metropolitan area. VMBC provides the only cardiothoracic surgery and leading birthing center in the Hudson Valley. According to VMBC Executive Marc Molinaro the construction of the new bed pavilion, scheduled to open in 2019, is “one of the largest capital projects in the history of Dutchess County.”
The Problem
The Vassar Brother’s Medical Center required a last minute change to their $500 million project. After breaking ground in September 2015, and while the job was under fabrication, there was a major revision to the plan. In May of 2017, the hospital President Ann McMackin announced an eighth floor would be added to the building.
- Initial 4,300 tons connected in 37 minutes with over $100,000 in savings
- Time savings as much as 8 weeks
- Last minute revision of 500 skewed joints connected in 11 minutes for an entire new floor vs. 3-week in conventional management
The Solution
Meyer Borgman Johnson (MBJ), an award winning and innovative structural engineering and connection engineering firm with over 63 years of experience, began working with Qnect in 2016. MBJ, with a focus on delivering quality designed projects, uses QuickQnect software to optimize time and savings for their customers, to overall benefit the project timelines and retain customer satisfaction.
Cives Steel, the fabricator on the Vassar job, is one of the best North American steel fabricators and was founded in 1952. Cives maintains a long-lasting reputation for delivering high-quality fabricated steel and is committed to on-time delivery and exemplary performance. Being a forward thinking and technologically savvy company with a deep concern for the economics, accuracy and speed, Cives selected Qnect for the Vassar project.
We used Qnect on an S-shaped 4,300 ton project, and were pleased with many aspects of the speed and quality of their engineering, optimization, and detailing delivery. The responsiveness of the Qnect team was very impressive, and included a custom, skewed, single angle solution.
— Bob Reynolds, Chief Draftsman, Cives Steel
Take Away
While under fabrication, Vassar required a major revision to the building. A critical incident that if not well managed, could have cost time, additional rework, and may have increased associated cost for labor, equipment, and material. MBJ used Qnect as changes were happening and revisions were required at no supplemental cost to Vassar. Qnect engineered the 500 joints in 11 minutes, quickly proving to be an essential team player, and mitigated the impact to the schedule.
Qnect is the best-integrated connection software and a market leader. Qnect makes it easy for everyone to be involved in the connection engineering.
— Jerod Hoffman, Principal & President Meyer Borgman Johnson