R. Baker & Son Hospital Wing Interior Demolition

R. Baker & Son was awarded a project to perform interior demolition of a 55,000 sq/ft three-story patient area in a New York hospital. The wing, erected in the early 1980s and renovated in the early 2000s, required a complete overhaul to make room for larger patient rooms and state-of-the-art nursing and computer monitoring stations on each floor.

The demolition areas were tested and deemed free from asbestos and lead paint hazards. We worked closely with electrical and mechanical contractors to shut down, drain, and isolate all utilities and power sources. This process presented challenges, as many of the old hot water and chilled water valves were not holding, necessitating further shutdowns and valve replacements using nitrogen freezing techniques.

The primary challenge was to demolish all walls, ceilings, and MEP systems swiftly to facilitate the new construction. By demolishing the piping and ductwork in the vertical shafts, R. Baker transformed them into efficient trash chutes. Additionally, two sets of windows per floor were removed and replaced with exterior garbage chutes, allowing for the disposal of smaller materials into dumpsters below. For larger debris, small bobcats were utilized on the first floor, transporting the waste through a separate corridor to the loading dock.

While the windows were being removed and replaced, R. Baker & Son employed scraping machines to remove the old tile flooring, paving the way for floor leveling activities and the installation of epoxy corridors and sheet vinyl in the patient rooms.

By employing these four strategic debris exit points per floor, R. Baker successfully reduced the demolition time by two weeks. Ahead of schedule, the construction manager expanded R. Baker's scope to include the removal of all through-the-wall Nesbitt heating and cooling units below the windows, as well as the existing patient rooms and associated piping on the exterior walls. Additionally, all existing windows were methodically removed as new units were installed. 

The project also encompassed the removal of several general exhaust fans, associated ductwork, and several condensers for the IDF closets after refrigerant reclamation, as the roof was scheduled for replacement.

By employing an efficient demolition approach, R. Baker & Son not only saved time but also obtained additional project work, accelerating the overall schedule. This timely execution was crucial for the hospital, ensuring the prompt completion of the new, state-of-the-art patient area.

About R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services

R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services, a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE), in business since 1935, is a premier specialized contractor operating in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, with over one hundred employees and an exemplary safety record (we have been directly involved in six sites that received VPP OSHA Safety Awards). R. Baker & Son is financially strong, with bonding capabilities of over $20 million. Capabilities include industrial and commercial demolition, rigging, machinery- and plant-moving, dismantling, decommissioning, plant and equipment relocation, interior demolition, selective demolition, warehousing, wrecking and razing, millwright, plant reconfigurations, heavy rigging, salvage, environmental services, remediation, decontamination, abatement, and investment and asset recovery.

R. Baker & Son - All Industrial Services
190 Boundary Road
Marlboro, NJ 07746
732-222-3553

https://www.rbaker.com/interior_demolition.php