Industrial Contractor at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center

Hospitals do not shut down for construction, so industrial-grade planning is what keeps a renovation on schedule at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. The county-owned, non-profit Level III trauma center sits downtown, and in May 2021 the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported that it planned a roughly $115 million renovation over about 10 years. The first phase, about $10 million, was to remodel the fourth floor into a mother-baby unit and a neonatal intensive care unit.

Later phases of the same plan cover East Campus renovations and upgrades for outpatient and community-based care, along with more isolation and negative-pressure rooms added after COVID-19. Earlier work included a new lobby and cancer treatment center in 2014 and radiology renovations in 2017 and 2018. A 2013 figure put the staff at 1,850, including 168 doctors, though that number is old and should be treated with care.

We are an industrial contractor, not a hospital specialist, and we say so plainly. What we bring to a medical campus is the work behind the walls: equipment pads, generator and chiller foundations, underground power, utility tie-ins and phased site work that keeps the campus operating. The sections below describe how we plan that scope.

An occupied hospital has patients, procedures and infection control rules. Before any work starts, we meet the facilities team, mark the utilities and agree on phasing, travel routes and quiet hours. Dust, noise and vibration limits go into the plan, and we monitor them daily.

For site and mechanical-yard scopes, we build temporary barriers, use dedicated haul routes and schedule heavy deliveries outside visiting hours. Our phased construction for occupied sites method breaks the work into zones so each can be closed out before the next begins. That keeps access to emergency entrances, parking and ambulance routes open.

Hospitals depend on uninterrupted power and controlled air, the same priorities we apply for utilities and power owners. New rooms, especially isolation and negative-pressure rooms, add electrical and mechanical load, and the central plant may need more capacity. We help owners plan generator pads, switchgear space, chilled-water routes and the underground duct banks that connect them.

Tie-ins are the delicate step. A shutdown to connect a new feeder or water line must be scheduled with clinical leaders, rehearsed and backed up with a contingency. We prefabricate what we can and set the work to be completed within the approved window. Our underground electrical duct bank work is sequenced to reduce the number of shutdowns.

Construction in a healthcare setting follows infection control risk assessments, and the hospital's team sets the barrier, filtration and pressure requirements. We follow them to the letter. Wet-weather and cold-weather conditions also matter, since open excavations can bring moisture and dust into the building.

Life safety systems stay active during work. Fire alarm impairments, sprinkler shutdowns and egress changes require permits and watch procedures. We plan them with the hospital and the fire authority, and we keep exit routes clear. Contractor workers are trained on hospital rules and carry identification at all times. Smoking, idling vehicles and open flames are banned near air intakes, and we site equipment away from them so exhaust never reaches patient areas.

The medical center serves a metro that is also growing in logistics, data centers and military construction. That growth stretches the trades and the utilities, and hospital projects compete for the same crews. The campus has also seen steady renovation, from a new lobby and cancer center to radiology upgrades.

For industrial owners, the hospital matters as a customer base and as a neighbor. It is among the region's larger employers, and its needs influence housing, traffic and services. Our work on healthcare hospital and medical office sites covers the support and site scopes of such facilities. Another public campus with its own constraints is Cheyenne Regional Airport, where access and security shape the schedule in a similar way.

Site concrete, parking and accessibility are daily needs for a healthcare campus. We build ramps, curbs and walks to accessibility standards, and our site concrete and ADA compliance work keeps patient routes smooth. Loading docks, service courts and waste enclosures also need strong paving for heavy trucks.

Utilities and drainage are just as important. Underground storm, sanitary and water lines must be located and protected, and new connections must be made without disrupting service. Our approach to tight urban sites such as the downtown depot district helps here, where lay-down space is limited and neighbors are close.

Phasing, night work and shutdown windows add cost to any occupied-site project. Premium labor, off-hour deliveries and temporary services all show up in the estimate. We separate those items so owners can compare a faster, costlier schedule with a slower, cheaper one.

Escalation is the other factor. A 10-year plan crosses many price cycles, and owners benefit from early procurement and clear scopes. We provide unit prices for repeat work, such as pads and trenches, so later phases can be priced quickly. The first phase sets a baseline that can guide the rest. We also recommend a joint review after each phase, with the facilities team, to record what worked on access, noise and shutdowns, so the lessons carry into the next set of drawings and the next price.

Tell us the zone, the shutdown windows and the load. We will phase the pads, the duct bank and the tie-ins so the hospital keeps running.

Do you build hospitals?

We are an industrial contractor, so our strength is in the support scopes: equipment pads, generator and chiller foundations, underground power and utility tie-ins, plus site work. For interior clinical build-outs, owners typically hire a specialist. We coordinate with that team to keep the site work on schedule.

How do you limit disruption to patients?

We plan barriers, haul routes and quiet hours with the facilities team before mobilizing. Dust and vibration are monitored, and heavy deliveries avoid visiting hours. Work zones are small and finished one at a time.

What does a power tie-in involve?

A tie-in connects new equipment to existing systems, and it often needs a planned shutdown. We prefabricate, rehearse and keep a backup plan. Clinical leaders approve the window, and the work is done as quickly as safety allows.

Which building code applies to hospital work here?

Wyoming has no single statewide code, and local offices adopt their own. The state adopted the 2024 International Codes on June 28, 2024, and Laramie County adopted the 2024 International Building Code effective January 1, 2025. The hospital's design team and the reviewing office confirm the edition and any healthcare-specific rules.

Can phased work fit a 10-year renovation plan?

Yes. Phased work suits long programs because each phase can be defined, priced and closed out. We keep records of costs and methods so later phases are faster. Early utility work also reduces disruption in later years.