The construction of Morristown-Hamblen West required creativity and collaboration to combat 21 sinkholes, poor soil, high diesel prices, and construction labor shortages.
The Christman Company won two awards for its pragmatic solutions by circumventing supply chain issues and repurposing 45,000 tons of rock onsite to build the 67,000-square-foot extension of Covenant Health and Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System in Morristown, Tennessee.
Mass excavation of the site required about 95 blasts and included approximately 150,000 cubic yards of material, equivalent to filling 57 Olympic-sized swimming pools—or about 12,000 loaded dump trucks. Usable soil was virtually nonexistent as most of the site consisted of rock.
Diesel prices also were at a peak, and the construction firm already was dealing with a shortage of drivers to haul away the rock. The Christman Company worked with its engineering teams and earthwork contractors to create an on-site soil mining operation. Contractors brought in a rock crusher, material handlers, and sifting equipment to process the rock into usable materials to fill and level the 21 sinkhole depressions and shape the grades for the new medical facility.
Once there was solid ground, a strong foundation was next.
BELT AND SUSPENDERS
Project Manager Andy Westbrook called the company’s efforts a “belt and suspenders” approach. The Christman Company spent approximately $700,000 on micropiles—deep foundations drilled into bedrock—to support the facility’s two-story structure. This ensured that Morristown-Hamblen West was built to meet the higher structural requirements for critical facilities like this one.
“If you don’t do that level of remediation, maybe nothing happens, or maybe you end up with foundation issues, but we weren’t taking any chances,” Westbrook says. “It also gives the owner peace of mind that future settlement or cracking from possible sinkhole activity is minimized.”
The general contractor completed mitigation of the entire site by pre-blasting areas for future expansion. This meant constant communication and cost exercises with the project owner so that future growth, like construction of a bed tower or emergency bay, will not require as much disruption to patients or medical care operations.
While the site work initially cost more money upfront, it would provide significant cost savings later. Morristown-Hamblen West plays a pivotal role in offering accessible and comprehensive healthcare services, notably bridging the gap in emergency and diagnostic medical services between Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee.
The Christman Company earned the 2024 Build Knoxville Award from Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Tennessee and the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Greater Tennessee Award for Excellence in Construction awarded in December 2023.
More importantly, Westbrook says Morristown-Hamblen West officials are pleased with the project, and Christman is preparing to begin an interior project at the facility by filling in a shell area for a new physician office.
For More Information
The Christman Company, in operation since 1894, is one of the nation’s foremost commercial construction management firms. For more, visit www.christmanco.com.