Thanks to the tireless work of countless construction and trade partners putting in many long days over the last three weeks of construction, the Covid-19 Alternative Care Facility at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo, CO was completed on May 11th. The project provides 121 patient beds for lower acuity Covid-19 patients by retrofitting two empty floors at the East patient tower. A complex HVAC system was necessary to transform the patient rooms to negative pressure isolation rooms. Visible scaffolding supports the exhaust and supply ductwork as can be seen in the image below.
Design features implemented to improve staff safety and patient care include a zoned pressurization approach. A pressurized “clean zone” was provided to offer vertical circulation for staff arrival, staff lockers, staff breakroom, security offices and the hospital command center.
This project is a huge achievement in pandemic response thanks to our partners, Mortenson Construction, Cator Ruma and Associates, MGA Structural Engineers, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St Mary-Corwin Hospital , Centura Health, and countless others.
