The Week of September 30, 2019 — A Visit to the ER After a Field Trip to Levels B, A, 2, 17, and a Walkabout on the Site
Upon entering the site early Sunday Morning (September 30, 2019, I could tell it would be a very busy week! However, I wasn’t prepared for what I encountered on Monday when I arrived. Vehicles were queuing up at the relocated drop-off/valet turnaround, the flags were waving in the breeze, and on the south side, heavy equipment was everywhere, and a newly arrived crane was hoisting large HVAC equipment on top of the Children’s Hospital roof.
As I waited for the traffic light at Barton Road and Anderson Street to turn green, I took this photo with azure skies as the backdrop. All objects are verticle seemingly to rise out of the colorful bushes in the foreground: the palm tree, the towers in the background, a crane’s boom hoisting a piece of HVAC equipment, and a utility pole.
The Schuman Pavilion Elevator Tower
On Tuesday morning the Schuman Pavilion elevator tower was covered with safety mesh. This added safety measure is crucial due to the close proximity of the patient/visitor walkway.
The Domestic Water Tanks — Update
As I approached the domestic water tanks, the south side of the Children’s Hospital was a hubbub of activity under azure skies as heavy equipment and machines were running full tilt.When I arrived at the location, three of the manhole standpipes had been uprighted on the tank covers with the fourth yet to be placed. The inset image shows one of the four electronic shutoff valves that are linked to each of the tanks.Within an hour, all four manhole sleeves had been installed and glued in place.
Where Have of All of the Tanks Gone? Gone Underground Everyone
The Emergency Sewer Pit — Update
When I arrived at the emergency sewer pit, I was intrigued by what I found: a Hamm oscillating soil and asphalt compaction roller (red machine), a Bobcat compact track loader, a handheld soil compactor/rammer, and a Wacker Neuson vibratory remote controlled roller.
An interesting short video clip that shows compacting equipment at work in the emergency sewer pit.The emergency sewer pit is almost at grade. The firewater pit and emergency sewer pit were backfield and leveled at grade.Compacting the soil on top of the domestic water tanks. This is the last of four pits to be completely backfield.
The Southwest Retaining Wall — Update
The wraparound southwest retaining wall forms are being pumped with concrete.In the background, HVAC equipment is being hoisted to the roof of the Children’s Hospital. A snorkel pump is pumping concrete into the wraparound southwest retaining wall forms. Inset is an image of Aldolpho who is giving thumbs up as the retaining wall is finally being pumped with concrete.The forms on the Southwest wraparound retaining wall are coming off.The southwest wraparound retaining wall after all of the forms were removed.
The Tunnel — Update
Before we look in on the progress of the tunnel construction, we need to take a look at the following images framed in black.
Methinks, I was here sometime in the past: It wasn’t until I was going through my construction photo library that I discovered that the photo I took on October 2, 2017, was taken near the same spot, the October 2, 1019, image was taken.At the southeast corner of the existing Children’s Hospital a new sidewalk and stairs, which will link to the final grade when the passageway is completed.A concrete truck is pumping shotcrete on the tunnel walls. The tunnel’s south wall.Tunnel sides as viewed from Level “A.” The scaffolding is being removed. The top of the tunnel will include a steel plate, rebar, encased in concrete.
The Emergency Generator Building Pad — Update
Leveling the building pad as viewed from the Roof of the Adult Hospital Tower.A closeup of the emergency generator plant building pad.Surveyors Ski (kneeling) and Stan (standing) are laying out the building pad. In the foreground, the excavation of the electrical vault begins.The emergency generator plant site illustrating where the electrical line conduits will feed into the electrical vault. Actually, there are two utility service trenches being dug that will terminate at the generator electrical vault: The west trench is seven-foot deep where five-pair of four-inch conduits are laid. The eastern trench is approximately six-foot deep The electrical conduit trench that runs halfway down Taylor Court. In the seven-foot deep trench, there are a total of ten four-inch conduit pipes. The pipes in the trench will be covered with concrete up to approximately six inches above the top conduits and then filled to grade with dirt and asphalt. Once this trench is backfilled and sealed with asphalt, another trench will be dug to where it will turn right on Tayor Street.This image shows the location of the utility service trenches. All Trenching is done behind the safety screen in the distance.Laying out a rebar grid before the concrete is poured for the bottom of the electrical vault.By Friday it appeared that the electrical vault was ready for a concrete pour.
There is Life Two Levels Below Grade — A “B” Level Update
It has been a while since I’ve been to Level “B.” As it turned out, I took my rounds at a very opportune time as I was able to get some action shots of a job that has alluded me for some time.
As I began my trek down the northwest stairs, I stopped at the top landing and looked over the rail. There was life down there: pipefitters manhandling a large pipe in tight quarters. Upon reaching Level “B”, I began walking south, with head and shoulders bent, to see what might be happening among the isolator, dampers, pipes, and conduits.About a quarter away under the building, I ran into a chainlink fence surrounding a large gang box where large underground energized power cables were spliced/connected to the interior cables that run to the main electrical room. A gang box that has been set. Two underground conduits come up from the bottom and when completed two conduits will come in from the top.In the southwest vault, three plumbers are hoisting a 10-inch flex-sewer-pipe where they will connect the pipe to the pipe that enters the vault from the emergency sewer tanks that were just installed.Pipes in the ceiling that will go into the tunnel and connect to the pipes that run to the Faculty Medical Clinic building. Once these pipes our operational, the pipes that were rerouted when the pit was excavated will be taken out of service and disconnected.A pipefitter welding.Pipefitters welding and grinding.
Going Back in Time — Rerouting the Pipes
The tunnel bisecting the construction excavation site that runs from the power plant to the north and the Faculty Medical Clinic offices to the south. The concrete tunnel has to be exposed and demolished so that excavation of the pit can continue.The utility pipes running through the concrete tunnel bisecting the pit excavation site are being rerouted to the west of the excavation site.
Up One Floor — A Visit to “A” Level
I paid a visit to the level “A,” which I hadn’t visited for a few weeks. I was pleasantly surprised at what I found.
Various Rooms and Corridors
The walls were painted on the north east-west corridor, the ceiling grid had been installed, and many of the center ceiling inserts had been installed. I noticed that some of the fire sprinklers had been installed.A closer look at the ceiling inserts.I took a peek in the main mechanical room, which was uncharacteristically quiet.Another view of the mechanical room.Bleed-off lines that run into drains.
Some of the Rooms Were Painted and a Few had Cabinets Installed
The Adult Kitchen
A long narrow room just west of the Kitchen is the Receiving /Breakdown and Dry Storage Room.Left center: Finish Prep cooler, Dairy cooler, Fruit and Vegetable cooler, Ingredients cooler (out of view). Center-right are the food preparation stations.Door to catering cooler.
The Children’s Kitchen
Children’s Kitchen
Central Supply
Central Supply receiving and storage area. Looking toward Sterilizing space and Central Sterile SupplySterilizing space, receiving and storage area.
The Emergency Department
The lobby/waiting room for The Pediatric Emergency Department, which is located in the southwest corner of the second floor. Exam and treatment rooms.Facing the lobby/waiting room (west): On the left are exam and treatment rooms. The door on the right leads to the physician’s workroom.The physician’s workroom with windows on both sides for maximum visibility.Trauma/cardiac room with headwall in background.Lead work area: CAT Scan room is off-limits.
After graduate school Dennis accepted a position at Loma Linda University. He worked there for 42 years in the areas of administration and financial management, also teaching accounting and management to dietetic students at the School of Public Health. Through the years Dennis has chronicled the growth of the campus, including the construction of the Drayson Center and the Centennial Complex and the razing of Gentry Gym. He is the author of "The Mound City Chronicles: A Pictorial History of Loma Linda University, A Health Sciences Institution 1905 - 2005." dEp 09.30.2016 🔨
