Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab brings together doctors, scientists, engineers and device developers into a 27-story facility that incorporates patient and family care, R&D, education and parking in one integrated vertical campus. The labs focus on five key areas of challenge for patients:

• Speech and Cognition  |  speak and think
• Fine Motor  |  arms and hands
• Gait and Locomotion  |  legs and walking
• Coordination and Endurance  |  total body
• Pediatrics  |  all abilities for kids

Innovative Approach to Install MEPs

To streamline the pace of construction of the building interiors, we cut out part of the roof to access the mechanical room on the 27th floor. This allowed the installation of boilers and other mechanical systems without impacting building construction below. The area was covered with a temporary rolling roof system to keep the lower floors watertight. The permanent roof was reinstalled at the end of construction. 

Keeping the Neighborhood Involved

We scheduled just-in-time deliveries to eliminate truck traffic from clogging up the city streets and scheduled heavy equipment to be delivered in the evening hours when most people had gone home from work.  A newsletter distributed in the neighborhood outlining construction activities so everyone was informed.

Integrated Staffing Plan

Power was brought on to help with big picture planning prior to the architect selection in order to help with site selection, massing studies & high level pricing exercises. After which, we competed for the preconstruction & construction management services, and were brought on just after HDR and Gensler were selected for the design team.  From there, we co-located & integrated with the design & engineering teams through out the design effort at the Gensler office in Chicago. Once we got to the GMP and started construction, the blended team of Power personnel and core design team members all relocated as a unit to the jobsite. This early collaborative effort helped deliver a successful project.

Blending Patient Care and Research

Typically housed in different facilities, the AbilityLab is the first centers to blend research and patient care into one facility. Working with the client and design team to help them understand and formalize their needs and expectations, we were able to guide the planning stages to create a singular facility that met the needs of all the user groups. One of the early concepts was to integrate technologies into an advanced RFID system, the first of its kind. Using our team’s ingenuity and technical prowess, we were able to successfully integrate three unique software and hardware platforms that the AbilityLab’s staff had visions to utilize in an innovative way in their new facility to streamline processes for staff.