IMEG is providing structural engineering design services for the renovation and expansion of the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, including the addition of a Medical Surgical Pavilion—the largest new healthcare development in Washington, D.C. in over 10 years.  

The 420,000-sf, six-story Medical Surgical Pavilion will house an emergency department, rooftop helipad, operating rooms, 156 patient rooms, and penthouse. The concrete cast-in-place pavilion will sit above three levels of below-grade parking totaling 420,000-sf, bringing the project total to 840,000-sf. 

The project’s location on a tight urban site is creating design challenges and project complexities, including the offset of the underground parking from the above-grade medical pavilion. Additionally, only one ramp leads from the garage to the entrance for pedestrian safety purposes and to maximize the amount of green space and walkability. IMEG’s structural engineers are carefully designing the column layout to avoid conflicts with the existing underground storm sewer. Transfer beams will be installed where columns cannot be located outside of the sewer easement. Also, unbalanced lateral earth pressure creates a challenging load path for the floor diaphragms, which IMEG is addressing by strategically placing lateral resisting elements. 

The pavilion is estimated to be completed in 2021.