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Pepper is celebrating the construction of the new Rush North and Harlem 60,000-square-foot outpatient center in Chicago, which expands access to primary and specialty care where services have been historically limited. The three-story facility offers primary care, neurology, cardiology and urgent care services, as well as a full complement of medical and surgical specialties, and a complete array of imaging services. Approximately 90 rooms, including exam, consult and procedure rooms provide residents from the west-side Chicago community and western suburbs of Oak Park, River Forest and Elmwood Park with quality resources to lead healthy lives.
With the constant goal of achieving the best outcome for the owner, our project team elevated collaboration to navigate how to best build the tenant interior while another contractor was completing the core and shell. We took a focused look at the challenges and successes to gather actionable insights that reinforce top performance.
Design
From concept to completion, integrity and quality were non-negotiable. One early hurdle involved having to coordinate two different design packages resulting from two job phases with two general contractors on the project. Aligning the elements to match the client vision, the team created the essential comprehensive and combined package to ensure the full scope was taken into account.
The team’s decision making prioritized the client’s best interests. All stakeholders were included in discussions, and issues with wall design and edge of slab firesafing detail, for example, were identified and communicated to the architect early in the process. Knowing when to call out risks, the team helped the client prevent potential safety hazards and realize cost savings by avoiding rework.
Materials
We used our expertise and put in extra effort to keep clients at the forefront of opportunities. When field walks on the project revealed a nearly imperceptible color variance in the floor that had been completed, the team chose to do the right thing: inform the client and find the best way forward to the promised quality. Similarly, the team worked out of project sequence and took additional containment measures to fulfill the client’s vision for specialized sliding doors with card readers when these were compromised by manufacturing issues.
Safety
Recognizing that construction safety is about creating a culture of vigilance, the team made open lines of communication a top priority. In addition to standard weekly audits, Pepper offered joint safety walks side by side with the core and shell general contractor, underscored by the philosophy that safety is everyone’s responsibility and should address everyone’s protection. The team’s proactive approach was grounded in a unified call to action that kept safety top of mind to ensure ladder safety, personal protective equipment compliance, proper fall protection, and avoid unscheduled power shutdowns.
Community Engagement
Building beyond physical structures mattered. Our commitment to Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Women’s Business Enterprises (WBE) illustrates this priority: 35% of the contract was awarded to MBE and WBE businesses. Our subcontractor awards included WBE for millwork and plumbing and MBE for fireproofing and painting. Lower-tier subcontractors included MBE for rough carpentry drywall, ceilings, HVAC and electrical work. MBE suppliers provided drywall, flooring, electrical and HVAC supplies, and WBE suppliers covered electrical and fire-protection supply.
We know the value of championing the success of our trade partners, which is why the project incorporated MBE and WBE partners fully into the team. Built on mutual respect, our relationship created pathways for our partner to stay competitive and for the project to benefit from their input and expertise. The knowledge and skills they gained enabled them to successfully bid on future work, so they can continue to grow, and helped ensure quality project results that brought value to the client.
Risk Mitigation
Managing risks and changes was a moving target as the client re-envisioned the space during construction to add a pharmacy. Because this revised vision had the pharmacy on the ground floor in an area where work was not yet underway, the team elevated communication that helped the client get the right information at the right time to make informed decisions.
Building out from the top down meant the entry floor needed to remain open and available for material delivery and staging. With swift thinking and forethought characteristic of the Pepper approach, the team embedded continuous schedule updating in the process to enhance decision making. As a result, the retail pharmacy was added to the ground floor in stride with the rest of the work.
The team’s attention to detail also addressed the often-overlooked need for a robust project-specific insurance strategy. With two general contractors on site, both doing work concurrently for different owners, the team proactively established a strategy that considered additional contractors in the workspace and allowed the work to happen without risks associated with coverage gaps.
Practical Application
Unexpected site conditions, mid-project revisions, multi-package design coordination that comes to light as work progresses – these are all part of the unpredictable nature of construction. The combination of Pepper expertise, emphasis on knowledge sharing, and flexibility creates advantages for responding effectively in evolving conditions. The new Rush North and Harlem outpatient center reinforces the value of meticulous planning, effective communication, and proactive management and reminds us that the best results come from intentional, consistent actions that keep everyone working towards shared goals.
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