McGowan Builders Completes Senior Care Facility

North Bergen, NJ-based general contractor and construction manager McGowan Builders, Inc. (MGB) has completed the expansion, renovation and interior upfit of the CCM senior care facility located in the Ridgewood section of Queens, NY. The 10,000-square-foot center, operated by Comprehensive Care Management Corporation (CCM), provides day care, medical and physical therapy services for seniors.

The $2.6-million project encompassed the complete exterior and interior renovation of a pre-existing one-story manufacturing building, the addition of a new second floor, complete interior upfit of the entire facility, installation of all medical and MEP systems, construction of the surface parking, and extensive site work.

"Construction of the CCM medical center called for a challenging structural reinforcement of the pre-existing building, necessary to support the addition of the second floor," says Patrick J. McGowan, MGB president and CEO. "The MGB project team installed new footings and a new structural steel system without significantly modifying the pre-existing structure, which shortened the schedule and reduced the cost."

The project team included architect Rolf Karl, AIA, and structural engineer Raphael Bassan Consulting Engineers. The CCM facility features an entrance lobby, cafeteria and activities lounge, six medical care rooms, a physical therapy and exercise room, eight ADA-compliant bathrooms, shower, and administrative offices.

The structural work included cutting openings in the existing roof and concrete floor slab; installing 10 new 4-foot by 4-foot reinforced concrete footings to a depth of 4 feet below the existing slab; erecting 10 steel "H" columns and 20 "I" beams; and installing the second floor and roof Q-decks. The second-floor Q-deck was installed 12 feet above the ground level and features a 4-inch concrete slab. The roof structure consists of a Q-deck installed 12 feet above the second floor level and features thermal insulation and an asphalt rooftop.

The MGB team used a crane to lower the 25-foot columns through the roof and floor slab openings. Once in place, the columns were connected to anchor bolts embedded in the footings. This was followed by installation of 20 steel "I" beams connected to the columns with bolts. Preservation of the pre-existing one-story building and installation of columns through roof and slab openings significantly reduced the project's cost and shortened the construction schedule.

The 2,200-square-foot new exterior wall of the second floor addition features a Centria Concept Series™ CS-620 Concealed Fastener Aluminum Wall Panel System with Kynar 500 B grey metallic finish. The wall system consists of 18-gauge steel studs; 5/8-inch DensGlass® Gold thermal insulation by G-P Gypsum; Tyvek® Commercial Wrap® waterproofing barrier by DuPont Company; and 150 4-foot-high and 12-foot-wide horizontally ribbed Concept CS-620 aluminum panels anchored to the studs with screws.

The pre-existing one-story building features brick exterior walls. In the course of the renovation, MGB replaced approximately 20 percent of the bricks. The team also installed 27 new Wausau 2250 series windows and a new storefront system entrance, also manufactured by Wausau.

The interior finishes and furnishings include a custom-designed, wood laminate reception and security desk, VCT flooring on the first floor, carpet tile flooring on the second floor, acoustical ceilings, painted sheetrock walls, in-lay lighting fixtures, private offices and an open office partition system, millwork and cabinetry, and floor and wall tiles in the bathrooms.

MGB installed all new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems within the building, and brought in new electrical, plumbing and water services to the building site. Other site work included a surface parking garage, new sidewalks and landscaping.