Skilled teams drive progress on Memorial Hospital patient tower exterior
Steady progress continues on the exterior of the new Memorial Hospital patient tower as crews install the curtain wall system that will define the building’s look and protect everything happening inside it.
In total, 1,432 curtain wall panels are being installed on the tower, and recently the team reached an important milestone: About 90 percent of the panels are now in place.
Installing each panel is no small feat. Weighing an average of 800 to 1,000 pounds, the units come in two types: vision panels, which include glass for patient rooms and workspaces; and spandrel panels, which fill areas between floors and conceal structural elements. Together, they create the sleek, durable exterior that will support the tower’s safety, comfort and energy efficiency for years to come.
The installation process is carefully choreographed and highly collaborative. Curtain wall units arrive on site in protective crates and are loaded directly onto their assigned floors. From there, tip tables are used to rotate each panel from its crated position to horizontal for final inspection and preparation, and then toward the building’s edge for installation.
At the perimeter, crews work within a Controlled Access Zone (CAZ), a designated safety area where all employees are tied off with safety harnesses. Panels are then rigged and lifted by crane. On lower floors, a spyder crane handles the lifts, while the tower crane takes over for higher levels and harder‑to‑reach locations.
A dedicated three‑person crew manages the inboard side of each panel while the crane supports the outboard end. Once the unit is fully supported and guided beyond the floor edge, the crew carefully maneuvers it into its final position, securing it to the structure and completing the installation.
The curtain wall panel installation is a precise process that demands coordination, strength and attention to detail, and thanks to the expertise of Walsh Construction and all trade partners involved, the work continues to move forward safely and efficiently. Every panel installed brings us closer to welcoming patients, families and caregivers into a space designed with care and purpose.
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