Specialty Physicians of Illinois – Family Medicine & Walk-In Clinic

Specialty Physicians of Illinois is comprised of primary care and specialty care doctors with experience in a wide range of disciplines. This single-story, 10,178 square foot facility located in Chicago Heights, Illinois was strategically located in an easily accessible area within the community. This helps reduce travel time and provides a viable option for individuals who cannot visit their primary care physicians due to scheduling conflicts or after-hours needs.

The space underwent site and building demolition to prepare for future development. The center is equipped with 11 exam rooms, triage unit, procedure room, phlebotomy room, laboratory spaces and imaging/X-ray area. Support areas include waiting, reception, offices, support, staff and building utilities. A main conferencing area will support the clinic as well as potential community events.

The natural lighting offers several benefits that can positively impact both patients and healthcare providers. From improved patient outcomes to environmental sustainability, utilizing natural light leads to a more positive healing environment. To make the space feel larger in certain corridors, the design incorporated transom style glass. This required careful installation as the material and placement is very intricate.

A major challenge during this project was managing the concrete pours during the peak of the brutal Midwest winter conditions. Pouring concrete in cold temperatures presents several issues for the hydration process and overall strength and durability of the concrete. Our field team managed to maintain proper moisture with concrete blankets and special concrete mixtures with accelerators to protect against freezing.

Our team was faced with supply chain issues at the very beginning of this project when we couldn’t source a transformer for electricity. Typically, we see lead times e from 4-6 weeks, but in this case our team waited nearly 8 months to receive this vital piece of equipment.

With unforeseen issues plaquing this project schedule, our Off-Site Construction division sprang into action to proactively steer the ship around. Many components were manufactured in our facility, including all exam rooms, 6 restroom pods, electrical distribution room, and exterior wall panels with aluminum clad siding. This approach supported efficient construction as prefabrication and assembly of building elements was completed in a controlled environment before those components were installed at the final construction site in Chicago Heights. The Specialty Physicians of Illinois Family Medicine and Walk-In Clinic project benefitted from industrialized construction methods in the following ways:

Schedule Acceleration: The building components were constructed simultaneously while the site work was being completed. Had we framed this structure in the field, the exterior façade wouldn’t have been installed as quickly (four days to be exact), and the long lead times would have thrown this schedule off course.

Quality: We’re constantly changing means and methods to drive perfection and streamline processes. All components for this clinic were measured with 3D laser scanning equipment and cut meticulously by a CNC router. This avoids future issues in the field and secures consistent output.

Safety: Our controlled manufacturing environment sets the stage for point of use storage, allowing us to identify what is needed for each project. This reduces search time, unnecessary travel, and probability for accidents.

Tonn and Blank’s self-perform team completed the entire buildout including concrete, flooring, electrical, plumbing and finishes. Our in-house wood millshop designed, built and installed all cabinetry and nursing stations throughout the clinic.