A Unique Project Meets Its MEP Engineering Match
———
A Complex Lab and C-Suite Renovation requires architect and engineering coordination in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
What started as a small lab expansion for the prestigious Bloomfield New Jersey Urology (NJU) Cancer Treatment Center, quickly developed into a more complex project. Corporate restructuring meant the soon-to-be-renovated lab now served multiple NJU locations. On top of lab renovations, a robust C-Suite with an upgraded lounge for staff and entertaining investors was needed. While a renovation such as this may seem straight forward, the reality was not so simple. These improvements needed to take place while the lab was still fully operational.
Posen Architects, founded in 1996, is a recognized leader in healthcare industry design. Some of their healthcare experience includes imaging equipment upgrades, pediatric outpatient facilities, new infusion centers, long term care renovations and new medical offices for private practices. Posen Architects was the right architecture firm to partner with NJU on the Bloomfield Cancer Treatment Center project and subsequent renovation.
Lori Klein, Principal at Posen Architects, recalls the NJU Cancer Treatment Center challenge well. “The most important goal of this project was to be able to renovate the lab while they were still functioning.” The lab needed to be shut down for renovation for the smallest amount of time as possible, and wiring and HVAC ductwork needed to be in place ahead of time. This added a level of complication to the project and meant a lot of coordination would be needed between Posen and the MEP/FP engineer. For a project this involved, Posen turned to KEA Engineers.
On Building Success
Our relationship with our MEP consultants should be seamless. We should be considered one firm. That's how you build successful projects."
-Lori Klein
- Project Title: New Jersey Urology - Bloomfield, NJ
- Address: 1515 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003
- New Jersey Urology is now a Summit Health Company
- Project Area: ∼12,000 Square Feet
- Scope Included: Lab Expansion and C-Suite Build Out
- Completed in 2021
- “A commitment to quality, safety, technology, and service help make the urologists at New Jersey Urology (NJU) a cohesive team dedicated to patients. NJU has more than 140 of the best urologists and providers across New Jersey and surrounding areas, with many serving leadership
roles to area hospitals, clinics, and surgery centers.”
Posen and KEA have teamed up on several healthcare projects, including NJU Voorhees, Cherry Hill and Saddle Brook locations. Each project included base building improvements and had their own challenges that were identified and overcome. For this reason, KEA was the natural choice when it came time to partner with an MEP/FP engineering firm for the NJU C-Suite addition and lab expansion.
The overall vision for the NJU Bloomfield project was multifaceted:
- Renovate and upgrade mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems.
- Improve ventilation and air quality for the entire space.
- Renovate the space while keeping the lab fully functional.
- Adhere to timelines and budgets.
PERSONALITY MATTERS
KEA hires great people with great personalities. It's nice to know that I can call, get connected to the right person and get advice on any project."
-Lori Klein
“KEA very much helped us reach our goals.” Said Klein. “Before working with KEA, MEP could be a difficult process. We were sometimes expected to cater to the demands of the engineer, rather than look at the overall design criteria.”
David Saliski, KEA Engineers Project Manager and Mechanical Engineer, managed the NJU Bloomfield project from the start. “For this project we had to determine what was already there, what and where it served within the space, and then bring it up to current code and lab standards.”
Since the lab would serve multiple locations, the electrical systems needed to be upgraded based on new power requirements. In addition, KEA Engineers recommended an emergency generator system for back-up power, a deionized water filtration system, as well as an air purification system for lab odor control.
- www.posen.com
- Two Locations: West Orange, NJ and White Plains, NY
- 15+ Full-Time Staff
- The mission of Posen Architects is based on four principles: to deliver unequalled client service; to provide design excellence in all of our projects; to recruit, retain and promote staff with the highest levels of technical expertise; and to strive to achieve complete client satisfaction in our built work.
“This was an unusual project, in that we had to keep the lab running.” says Saliski. For that reason, planning and construction took on a four-phased approach with The Walsh Group. This allowed for a portion of the lab to be renovated, while the rest remained operational.
For all of its unique challenges, the Bloomfield NJU Cancer Treatment Center project was a huge success. Today, the state-of-the-art lab offers world-class pathology services and all project goals were met. Ms. Klein calls on KEA Engineers as part of the reason why. “KEA provided a smart design that met the needs of the client and the project.”
Future collaboration between Posen and KEA is already in the works. KEA and Posen both look forward to a bright future. Klein concludes, “With KEA, you’ll get first-class engineering without having to jump to Manhattan. I have the utmost faith in the KEA team.”
732-635-0044
- Established in 1984 by
Armen Khachaturian - 8 Professional Engineers
- 50 Full-Time Staff
KEA Engineers provides MEP design for commercial, residential, retail and warehouse projects of any size and complexity.
Licensed in over 20 states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington,D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin)
Take this success story with you.
Download it today.
Let KEA Exceed your expectations.
Click below to request a proposal and hand your MEP project off to the professionals.
