Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC)
Great Lakes, Illinois
Hospital
Brandenburg was contracted to remove the 50-year-old, 16-story Naval base hospital, including out buildings and tunnels which were part of the hospital complex. The project also required Brandenburg to restore the site to a grassed field and paved roads to resemble the surrounding street layout. All work occurred while the Naval base remained active. Naval Station Great Lakes, located in Lake County, is home to the United States Navy’s only boot camp. The base has 1,153 buildings situated on 1,628 acres with 50 miles of roadway to provide access to the base facilities. In order to protect nearby structures that housed sensitive lab equipment, a vibration trench was installed to mitigate vibration created during the demolition. Demolition was accomplished using mechanical methods, including a crane and wrecking ball, followed by a 984 excavator equipped with a hydraulic shear and several smaller excavators with various attachments. The contract was completed with over 40,000 man-hours and sustained zero injuries. This project demonstrates Brandenburg’s continual commitment to effective worksite safety and health.