Crown Point Replacement Hospital

A Landmark Healthcare Construction Project: Franciscan Health Crown Point Replacement Hospital

One of the most significant healthcare construction projects in Northwest Indiana, the Franciscan Health Crown Point Replacement Hospital, is a cornerstone of a transformative 500-acre development. As the construction manager for this state-of-the-art facility, Tonn and Blank Construction played a pivotal role in ensuring its successful execution, maintaining strict safety standards, and implementing innovative construction methods. This development not only enhances healthcare services but also integrates academic, commercial, and technological advancements into a thriving destination for the community.

Building the Future of Healthcare in Crown Point

The design of the hospital is deeply rooted in the owner’s values, ensuring a healing environment that reflects compassion and care. Inspired by the rich history and character of Crown Point, the hospital embraces the beauty of Indiana’s changing seasons and natural landscapes. A welcoming aesthetic, combined with cohesive wayfinding, creates an intuitive and comforting experience for patients, visitors, and staff. Thoughtfully designed spaces prioritize stress reduction by leveraging natural daylight and outdoor connections, fostering a sense of calm and well-being. Infection prevention and patient safety remain at the forefront, integrating evidence-based design principles to enhance health outcomes and provide a healing environment.

Strategically located at the intersection of Interstate 65 and U.S. 231, the new hospital was designed to be a premier regional medical center. The seven-story, 199-bed acute care hospital includes a medical office building, with plans for future expansion to accommodate up to 300 beds. This project doubles the University of Saint Francis’ (USF) healthcare degree offerings, reinforcing the campus’s role in training the next generation of medical professionals.

Tonn and Blank was instrumental in managing the complex logistics of this large-scale healthcare construction project. Our team expertly coordinated site development, structural steel erection, MEP systems installation, and interior finishes, ensuring that every phase aligned with our client’s high standards for quality and patient care. Our hands-on approach, self-performing critical work scopes such as concrete foundations, structural framing, and interior carpentry, was key in keeping the project on schedule.

Overcoming Challenges with Innovation and Resilience

From the onset, Tonn and Blank  leveraged its expertise in virtual design and construction (VDC) to streamline project coordination and mitigate potential clashes. This innovative approach facilitated seamless collaboration among multiple stakeholders and ensured the efficient realization of project objectives.

Delivering a major healthcare construction project during a global pandemic and through the harsh Midwest winters presented unique challenges. Tonn and Blank navigated these obstacles with strategic planning and adaptive methodologies. Leveraging our off-site construction facility, we prefabricated key building components, reducing on-site labor congestion, accelerating installation times, and maintaining stringent quality control measures. This approach was crucial in mitigating supply chain disruptions and minimizing weather-related delays, ensuring continuous progress despite external challenges.

(prefabricated bathroom pod installation)

A Commitment to Safety and Excellence

Tonn and Blank’s dedication to jobsite safety was recognized with the Outstanding Project Safety Award from the Coalition of Construction Safety (CCS). This achievement reflects our proactive approach to risk management, comprehensive safety training programs, and a culture of accountability that prioritizes the well-being of every worker on-site. Our ability to maintain exceptional safety performance while managing a complex healthcare construction project underscores our leadership in the industry.

Overseeing 400 tradespeople on a large-scale construction project like a replacement hospital presented a myriad of challenges. United by a shared vision of excellence, our team worked tirelessly to bring the hospital to fruition. With such a large workforce, effective coordination and communication became paramount. Ensuring that all tradespeople are aware of their tasks, deadlines, and any changes in plans requires robust communication channels and management systems. Managing the logistics of materials, equipment, and manpower for such a prolonged period can be complex. Optimizing resource allocation to prevent delays and bottlenecks while maintaining cost-effectiveness was crucial.

Central to our success was the implementation of industrialized construction methodologies, exemplified by the prefabrication of 179-bathroom pods and 25 exam rooms at our off-site construction facility. This approach not only optimized labor efficiency but also enhanced construction precision, ultimately contributing to the timely completion of the project. Drawing from lessons learned in previous endeavors, such as the Franciscan Health Michigan City Replacement Hospital, our team meticulously planned for expandability, ensuring the new facility’s capacity to meet future healthcare demands.

Throughout the pandemic, our top priority was safeguard­ing the health of our workforce while maintaining uninter­rupted progress on the construction site. Rigorous safety protocols were implemented, including regular health screen­ings, mandatory mask-wearing, and strict adherence to social distancing guidelines. Our proactive approach included fre­quent sanitization of equipment and common areas, as well as robust training programs to educate our team on the latest health and safety practices.

On the Crown Point Replacement Hospital project, specific measures were tailored to address the unique complexities of healthcare construction. Stringent infection control protocols were implemented to prevent the spread of contaminants, ensuring the safety of both construction per­sonnel and future occupants of the facility. Our team received specialized training in infection control practices and collabo­rated closely with healthcare professionals to minimize dis­ruptions to hospital operations.

Winter months presented their own set of challenges, with frigid temperatures, icy surfaces, and reduced daylight hours posing hazards to construction activities. Tonn and Blank Construction employed various strategies to mitigate these risks, such as providing appropriate cold-weather gear, implementing enhanced safety measures for working at heights, and adjusting work schedules to account for weather conditions.

The TESS (Total Enclosure Sail System) is an advanced cov­ering or containment structure that encompasses the entire building. The system involves the use of large, durable sails or fabric materials supported by framework to create a protec­tive enclosure around the construction area. The purpose was to control environmental factors, such as temperature opti­mizing working conditions, and enhancing safety during the construction process. By integrating the sail like structures around the building envelope our workers were protected from external elements such as snow, rain, ice accumulation and winds. We were also able to regulate internal tempera­tures throughout the construction process. The implementa­tion of this system not only kept the schedule of the project on pace, but it also made for a much safer work environment for our employees.

A Lasting Impact on the Community

Tonn and Blank Construction is proud to have successfully delivered the Franciscan Health Crown Point Replacement Hospital—a landmark achievement in healthcare construction. This world-class facility stands as a testament to our team’s expertise, resilience, and commitment to quality. Despite the challenges, our innovative building techniques and unwavering dedication to safety ensured the seamless execution of this project. More than just a hospital, this facility represents the power of collaboration and visionary development, serving generations of Hoosiers for years to come.