Thousands of people in Los Angeles County who are homeless and suffering from mental illness cycle in and out of a jail system that isn’t equipped to help them recover. After recent research showed that more than half of individuals experiencing homelessness and mental illness could receive safe treatment in a community setting with the right support, LA County responded by shifting its behavioral health strategy to Care First, Jails Last.
The County is pursuing this shift through new Restorative Care Villages. Abbott Construction is building one of the first at Olive View UCLA Medical Center. To accelerate progress, the County chose to fast-track the project using modular construction, making it one of the first of its kind. As design-builder, AbbottGo to https://www.abbottconstruction.com/ led everything from conception through completion.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Early care is the main focus of the new town, which welcomes anyone dealing with mental illness of any severity. Its goal is to create a realistic strategy for recovery and end the cycle of homelessness, hospitalization, and incarceration linked to mental health. The village consists of:
- One 10,000sf, steel-framed Mental Health Urgent Care to stabilize patients and develop a plan of recovery
- One 10,000sf, steel-framed Wellness Center for outpatient services
- One 18,000sf, modular Recuperative Care Center for post-acute recovery
- Five modular residential buildings for transitional and focused care, at 47,000sf and 80 beds total.
The County launched a modular construction project using 12-by-12-foot modules—some extending up to 51 feet—that functioned like life-sized LEGO bricks.
Trade partners produced them off-site, moved them on semi-trucks, craned them into position, and completed them on-site.
“There was a lot at stake,” says Clay Hubbell, project superintendent at Abbott. “There were eight buildings, 132 modular units, and traditional steel construction — all on a busy, historic hospital campus.” The County aimed to complete and occupy one of the largest public modular projects in LA County history by fall 2021. It was a difficult task.
UP FOR A CHALLENGE
Beyond the general intricacy of the undertaking, specific difficulties quickly began to mount.
- Modular management.Almost 30% of the modular units arrived incomplete. The Abbott team worked closely with the modular firm to identify problems, prevent recurrence, and determine cost responsibility. This proactive approach saved the County about $1.4 million and ensured a high-quality result.
- Site logistics.the site had no existing infrastructure. the site had no existing infrastructure. Abbott installed new electricity and sewer connections beneath a flood control channel regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Army Corps of Engineers. This helped protect the critical path and allowed them to place an average of five modules each day.
- Underground logistics. the site had no infrastructure, Abbott had to undertake this foundational work early in the process. Army Corps of Engineers. After a detailed review process, boring took five days. Electrical and sewer tie-ins took just over three weeks.
Did You Know?
the pandemic, some of the 1,765 inspections required for the project were completed virtually to ensure safety and maintain momentum.
PART OF THE SOLUTION
The project incorporated several green features. The fully electric facility earned top scores for energy reduction. Furthermore, it includes a VRF cooling system, which is more efficient than a typical rooftop package unit.
Teresa Fait, a sustainability specialist and project manager at Abbott, credits collaboration for the project’s success. She explains that no single individual could fully take the lead. “We were aware that we needed to divide and conquer. This project was the best illustration of teamwork I have ever worked on.”
The community was completed on budget and ten days ahead of schedule. Even better, a number of buildings were turned over weeks beforehand. Thanks to a phased release, the County was able to launch community services early.
PROJECT DETAILS
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Size: 85,000sf
Client: Los Angeles County
Architect: SWA Architects
Engineer: IMEG, Fuscoe, ISE, RPM
Delivery Method: Design/Build
Sector: Healthcare
Completed: Fall 2021
Certification: LEED Gold
