Stalco Construction and Ehasz Giacalone Architects complete renovations and technology upgrades of Nassau University Medical Health Sciences Library

Stalco Construction and Ehasz Giacalone Architects (EGA) have completed an extensive, $700,000 renovation and upgrade of The Peter W. Addiego Health Sciences Library at the Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC). Stalco Construction president, Alan Nahmias said, "The renovated two-story, 12,000 s/f library features an improved layout, energy-efficient building systems, and new interior finishes. In addition to providing print, digital and on-line reference materials, the space serves as a meeting and lecture facility." Located within a low-rise section of NUMC's Dynamic Care Building, the Health Sciences Library is one of the largest on Long Island. It supports the patient care, biomedical research and graduate medical education information needs of the medical staff, faculty and affiliated students. It also serves the larger Long Island community as an information resource for professionals in all aspects of health care delivery. Managed by NuHealth, Nassau University Medical Center is a 530-bed Level I Trauma Center and tertiary care teaching hospital affiliated with the Health Sciences Center of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The hospital is also affiliated with the North Shore/LIJ Health System. The 19-story medical center, the tallest building in Nassau County, is located at 2201 Hempstead Tpke. Stalco, which served as the project's general contractor, demolished the pre-existing interiors and constructed new interiors, the MEPS (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, sprinkler) infrastructure, computer and telecommunications cabling, and a security system. "NUMC undertook the renovation in order to bring the library, originally constructed in the l960s, to current technological and interior design standards," said EGA partner Lou Giacalone. "The client expressed the desire to provide its medical residents, interns, and faculty with a state-of-the-art research facility as well as to create an environment that would encourage informal interaction among staff." EGA consulted with the medical center's executives and the librarian in order to develop a list of functions to be accommodated within the space. In addition to research stations, the library had to include meeting and presentation areas designed in a manner that wouldn't disturb the regular library operations. "The renovated library's first floor houses a checkout counter, a lounge area for eight people, 24 individual study stations, and a librarian's office," said Stalco Senior Project Manager George Protheroe. "The second floor features an open shelving section, four study group rooms that accommodate up to six people, and two conference rooms designed for groups of up to 12 and 20, respectively." Both the study group and conference rooms are enclosed with modular Steelcase glass wall systems to eliminate a noise impact while providing the feeling of an open space and inclusion. The conference rooms are equipped with interactive white boards as well as video conferencing and remote learning capabilities. The second floor features a large opening in the floor, which creates the library's atrium. Stalco replaced the handrails around the atrium, as well as along the stair leading to the second floor, with a glass, brushed aluminum, and wood railing system. The new finishes include acoustical tile and drywall soffit ceilings, Shaw Floors carpet flooring in the "Embellished" pattern, fabric and vinyl wallcoverings, new millwork shelving, refurbished wooden and steel book stacks, and American Olean "St. Germain" wall and floor porcelain tiles in the bathrooms. All new materials and paints are low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) in order to eliminate indoor air pollution. The new sprinkler and HVAC systems match the revised ceiling and floor layouts of the renovated library. The space features energy-efficient lighting fixtures, including Selux NEOS linear fluorescent pendants; Advent Reo wall sconces; Aerion 1' X 4' recessed fluorescent FAR14 fixtures; and Vode four-foot, wall mounted, fluorescent light rail fixtures. Stalco installed new air-conditioning equipment on the building's roof, including a RenewAire RD4XRT 2,000-CFM energy recovery unit and a Carrier 38AUDB12 one-ton condenser. This required reinforcing the roof structure with two 10-foot steel beams and connecting steel channel members. In addition to general contractor Stalco and architect and interior designer EGA, the project team included construction manager SCC Construction Management Group and mechanical engineer KP Professional Engineering. Stalco Construction, Inc. Based in Manhattan and Islandia, NY, Stalco Construction, Inc. is a full-service general contracting and construction management firm active in the Greater New York area and on Long Island. Building Design & Construction magazine ranks Stalco as the 43rd largest construction manager and the 93rd largest general contractor in the United States. ENR New York magazine ranked Stalco as the 52nd largest contractor in the NY/NJ/CT Tri-state area in 2014. Established in 1992, the firm builds commercial and institutional facilities for office, retail, educational, healthcare, governmental, entertainment, sports and worship clients. Stalco's personnel include professional engineers, architects, project managers, superintendents, and support staff. The value of the firm's on-going ground-up, interior, and capital improvement projects totals approximately $140 million. Stalco's affiliate, Stalco International Group, designs and erects custom engineered buildings for developers and architects of commercial, office, institutional, public, and industrial structures. Stalco works in a partnership with Varco Pruden Buildings, a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, a world leader of the pre-engineered buildings industry. Since the firm's inception, its leadership and employees have been involved in supporting the local community through responsible corporate citizenship and charity work. The company's principals, Kevin G. Harney and Alan Nahmias, co-founded Contractors For Kids (CFK), a not-for-profit organization supported by nearly 300 Long Island-based construction and real estate organizations. CFK provides assistance to children and their families impacted by health-related crisis. Stalco's current and recent work includes the $8.4-million Battery Park City Community Center and the $15-million restoration of the landmark Pier A in Manhattan; the $24-million renovation of the Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in Queens, NY; the new, $24-million Emergency Department at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx; the $16.5-million renovation and expansion of the Long Beach High School in Lido Beach, NY; the $1.4-million Home Fair store at the Atlas Park Mall in Queens NY; the Ultra Diamonds jewelry store in Riverhead, NY; the $11.3-million renovation of the landmarked Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, NY; the on-call Construction Management contract for the 780,000-square foot CA, Inc. Global Headquarters in Islandia, NY; and the $30-million expansion and renovation program for the Three Village Central School District in Suffolk County. Ehasz Giacalone Architects Ehasz Giacalone Architects, PC (EGA), based in Farmingdale, N.Y., is an award-winning architecture and planning firm established in 19880 by Principals Russell Ehasz, RA and Louis P. Giacalone, RA. The firm offers complete in-house architectural, planning, and project development capabilities for clients in the healthcare, commercial, multi-family, municipal, educational, and judicial facility markets. EGA's interdisciplinary staff includes licensed architects, interior designers, planners, estimators, contract administrators, and construction management supervisory personnel with extensive experience in their respective fields. EGA's experience encompasses a substantial portfolio of new design, renovation, development study and master planning projects. The firm's recent work includes the 168-unit Metro 303 residential building in Hempstead, N.Y., the 100,000-sq.ft renovation of The NPD Group Headquarters in Port Washington, N.Y., and the master plan and space utilization study for Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, N.Y. NuHealth NuHealth is a Long Island health care organization delivering essential medical care and disease and lifestyle management to everyone at every stage of life. Also known as Nassau Health Care Corporation, NuHealth is a public benefit corporation managing the operations of Nassau Medical Center, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care and a network of Family Health Centers that bring primary and specialty care out into the community. By emphasizing wellness, cultural sensitivity and collaborative efforts with the North Shore-LIJ Health System, NuHealth is working to make good care more affordable and easier to access. For more information, visit www.nuhealth.net. *** Suggested photo captions and credits: NUMC heath library 165 med.jpg Stalco Construction and Ehasz Giacalone Architects have completed a $700,000 renovation of The Peter W. Addiego Health Sciences Library at the Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, N.Y. Photo by Tom Sibley/Wilk Marketing Communications NUMC heath library 208 med.jpg The library's second floor features a large opening in the floor, which creates the library's atrium. Photo by Tom Sibley/Wilk Marketing Communications NUMC heath library 229 med.jpg The second floor houses two conference rooms for groups of up to 12 and 20, respectively, an open shelving section, and four study group rooms that accommodate up to six people. Photo by Tom Sibley/Wilk Marketing Communications