American Cancer Society – Hope Lodge – Facility Restoration 

Background

The facility in focus was originally painted in the 1980s and prominently featured outdated earth tones. Over the years, minor damage to the drywall in the majority of the rooms had occurred and required attention.

Project Description

The facility, operated by the American Cancer Society, is a sanctuary for patients undergoing cancer treatments at the renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The project was initiated in late November 2022, with the scope involving repainting a 20,000 square-foot facility, which included 62 guest rooms, bathrooms, four 3-story stairways, 12 hallways, a recreation room, exercise room, library, TV rooms, offices, and front lobby areas. In tandem with this, drywall repairs were performed in 32 rooms, which had been impacted by a preceding HVAC project.

Project Timeline

The project was scheduled and completed within a span of approximately four weeks, albeit with some breaks due to the holiday season. This swift turnaround ensured minimal disruption to the facility’s regular operation.

Challenges and Solutions

The renovation project faced several unique challenges:

Coordination with HVAC company: The renovation team had to collaborate closely with the HVAC company, ensuring that their drywall repair and painting work followed the HVAC project without causing any scheduling clashes.

Guest room scheduling: With the facility operating at an impressive 85% occupancy, time was of the essence. It was vital to promptly prepare the rooms to ensure maximum usage for patients. Effective communication and efficient work processes were crucial to meeting this challenge.

Building accessibility: The painting of the stairways and hallways required working closely with the staff to provide alternative access points within the building. This minimized the inconvenience to guests and staff during the renovation.

Paint donation management: All the paint for the project was generously donated. This required precise communication with the suppliers to guarantee that the correct quantities and colors, aligning with the new palette, were readily available.

Conclusion

Despite the unique challenges presented, the renovation project was successfully completed in a relatively short timeframe. Through effective coordination, planning, and communication, the facility was quickly returned to full operational capacity, ensuring a comfortable and updated environment for patients undergoing treatment.