Story

Located in Montgomery County, Silver Spring Healthcare Center is the adaptive reuse of an existing senior living community. The renovation converted the building’s use from 133 memory care and assisted living units to 129 skilled care units to better accommodate residents. In addition to bringing the building up to skilled care code, the finishes of amenity areas were upgraded, and facilities were added. This included new nurse stations and comprehensive nurse call systems to provide additional support and care for the residents. Both the HVAC and electrical systems received significant upgrades, featuring a new air system and redundant grounding to improve performance and reliability. Harkins partnered with owner CommuniCare Health Services, who specialize in skilled nursing rehabilitation centers, long-term care centers, assisted living communities, and long-term acute care hospitals. CommuniCare, along with Harkins and the design team led by Meyer Design, identified the existing community as an option for their adaptive reuse goals. After touring multiple communities and providing budgets for the renovation, Silver Spring Healthcare Center was officially selected. As design progressed, Harkins worked closely with CommuniCare and the design team to continuously update the budget, schedule, and constructability reviews to successfully bring the Healthcare Center into the construction phase. Given the complexity of the renovation, several critical systems involved components with extended lead times, including HVAC, electrical equipment, sprinkler and fire alarm design, and fire-rated glazing. Harkins collaborated with CommuniCare, Meyer Design, and trade partners to specify components that would provide less of an impact to the overall schedule while still meeting the design criteria and releasing them long before construction was slated to start. Coordination of new and existing structures and systems was the biggest challenge during the construction phase. Among the many requirements of conversion, upgrading the mechanical system was one of the largest. This required a substantial increase in ductwork size and quantity, as well as the addition of nine dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units that were hung in corridor ceilings and ducted through exterior walls. There was also a significant reframing of walls and ceilings, as well as rerouting of existing plumbing, HVAC, and sprinkler systems. Harkins prioritized safety with training, compliance inspections, and logging. A daily focus on safety resulted in no recordable accidents or lost time injuries on this project. Despite challenges and setbacks, Harkins was able to successfully complete Silver Spring Healthcare Center on budget and over two weeks ahead of schedule. The new facility offers rehabilitation, therapy, and hospice and palliative care for residents, meeting a need for this care in the area.