Replacement Hospital

The eight-story, 2.2 million sq-ft hospital replaced the aging Dept. of Veterans Affairs hospital in downtown New Orleans that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Sitting atop 31 acres in the Mid-City neighborhood, the facility is the first major health care center in New Orleans dedicated to veterans to be built in the area in a decade.

The project team collaborated on innovative cost-saving suggestions for the VA to review throughout preconstruction and in the bid packages. Once the project reached its fixed price, hundreds of cost-saving ideas had been approved and incorporated into key elements including: the enclosure and skin, interior finishes, equipment, plumbing, HVAC, electrical and low-voltage systems.

Bernhard provided design assist mechanical contracting services for six primary buildings as well as the central plant, administrative building and parking structures. As part of these services, Bernhard utilized fabrication, project pre-planning and value engineering to provide the owner with substantial cost saving and schedule advantages.