Darland was selected by the University of Nebraska Medical Center to build the Harold M. and Beverly Maurer Center for Public Health on their Omaha campus.  The three-story facility serves as the new home for the UNMC College of Public Health and includes 106 offices, a computer lab, 10 'smart' classrooms and an 80-seat theater-style classroom which can also be used for community events.

“Darland did a very good job of keeping this project on track, especially in light of some challenging issues that arose during construction,” said Mike Faber, UNMC Capital Projects Manager. “When construction began, it was discovered that the below-ground infrastructure from a building previously located on the site remained in place resulting in considerable demolition work.  We also expanded the second and third floors to accommodate an 80-seat auditorium and additional classrooms. These two events required a great deal of project coordination and schedule management. The addition was basically a whole new construction project thrown in midstream. Darland did a good job adjusting to the changes and managing the work.  The dedication ceremony stayed on schedule and the project finished on budget.”

Darland project manager Adam Simpson notes that the project was complex not only because of these unexpected circumstances, but it was also designed and built for LEED certification. “LEED certification requires extensive planning, documentation, and partner coordination on all aspects of construction. We sourced recycled and earth-friendly materials, selected paints and adhesives with low volatile organic compound levels, tracked materials, transport distances, and waste disposal. We even recycled a great deal of the material we uncovered from the previously demolished building. It was a demanding project to administrate, but the type of project we are well-suited to handle.”

Simpson adds, “UNMC is on its own power distribution and steam/water systems. We tied into those systems and had to do so without impacting the critical systems performance around campus. When you are working on a healthcare campus, there is no room for mistakes. We are proud of the fact that UNMC had the confidence in us to manage this job for them.”